


14 hours

by ReScripta



Category: Rango (2011)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:02:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 27,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23808100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReScripta/pseuds/ReScripta
Summary: Rango foils one of Bad Bill's robberies again. This makes the Gila monster so angry that he determines to shoot down the sheriff while the evening town round. But things come different and Bill and his gang have to make a decision whether they should find a kidnapped sheriff which is in deadly danger and could be dead in 14 hours… (Investigative gunslingers)
Kudos: 3





	1. Target in the night

It was still before midnight. The town Dirt lay dark and silent in the desert. Just in few houses lighted lights on the streets. The saloon was the only place where it was loud. Rango smirked at himself, when he walked along the sidewalk and watched how Gordy tottered out of the saloon and fell into the water trough.

Every night the same, the chameleon thought and continued his walk, without to give that more attention. With a lot of self-confidence, he went with brisk steps along the street.

"A sheriff has to be on call all the time," he muttered to himself. "Always ready for a felony."

He smiled and thought about what had happened today in the morning.

A few houses away from the sheriff's position, four dark figures cut their way to an abandoned house, which was empty for a long time. The house owner had died a few days ago. The best position for their plan.

Suddenly the first person stopped. His companion bounced against him.

"Ouch!" a man's voice cried and rubbed his nose.

"Sshhh!" an angry voice hissed back. "Keep quiet! He shall not see us."

"I'm sor…"

The first person held the mouth of the speaking person closed with his hand.

After a few minutes of listening he gave them a sign and together they went through the door of the abandoned house. They entered dark corridors and climbed up the stairs to the top of the house. Shortly after a window was opened and the familiar face of a Gila monster peeked out and looked down at the street.

"Bill?"

"Shhh!"

But the desert rabbit Stump couldn't avoid his question. "Do you really think we should do this?"

"Don't make me mess!" Bill growled silently. "He doesn't deserve anything else."

He looked out again. "He is near the Cantina. It won't be long until he reachs this house."

Chorizo sighed and lifted his head. "Poor guy. So young and so…"

Bill gave him a fleeting slap in his face.

"Did you forget what happened today?"

Chorizo put his hat back on his head. "No, I didn't."

Kinski leaned against the house wall and crossed his arms, and looked at their leader with disgust.

"Don't you think a short hard beating would be enough?"

The Gila monster narrowed his eyes into slits. "Not for me."

* * *

**_Many hours ago…_ **

_In disbelief, the Gila monster stared with wide eyes at the broken bridge._

_He pressed his hands together and let out a loud scream. With hate filled eyes, he looked over to the other side of the ravine, where he could see a familiar figure._

" _Let it be a lesson for you," the voice of Rango sounded over the canyon._

_Bill growled loudly. "How did you find it out?"_

" _I have an aptitude of combination, what you will never have, William."_

" _Don't call me a fool, Sheriff!"_

" _Calm down, Bill," Kinski tried and got a head slap by their leader._

" _No chance, Bill," Rango replied. "The stagecoach for the gold transport is already far enough that you can't reach them anymore. Until you crossed the canyon, they will arrive in the next big city."_

_Bill and his henchmen stood there like drowned rats. But Bill looked like he was ready to explode._

_Rango smiled. He put two fingers together, tapped with them on his hat and waved it in Bill's direction. The Gila monster seethed with rage._

_His narrowing eyes trembled._

_Rango had brought his roadrunner and climbed on it._

_Silently they looked after the riding away sheriff._

" _Tonight," Bill said darkly. "This night…"_

* * *

Like right on cue, Rango came closer.

Bill positioned himself with his gun and targeted him. He aimed his gun at his head, on the forehead, between the sheriff's eyes.

"Stay still. Just stand still."

To Bill's surprise, the sheriff stood still now, but he looked aside, so that Bill had the sheriff's head sideways in the line of fire. The chameleon seemed to head a strange sound, because he made a few steps to the old shed and peeked inside briefly.

After more than 10 seconds, the chameleon shrugged his shoulders and closed the door again.

Then he turned around and continued his walk.

Bill grinned.

"That's good, just a few steps more…"

He squeezed the trigger more.

Suddenly a dark figure jumped out from the shed. It was a little bit bigger than Rango and grabbed the sheriff from behind and pressed his hand on his mouth.

Rango muffled loudly and tried to get away the hands on his face, which wrapped him.

Bill meantime, who watched all from his hiding place, was so confused, that he swung his weapon in his hands aside. Stump startled, when he looked into the barrel directly.

"Are you crazy?!"

"What's going on there?"

The chameleon struggled like crazy. With his last chance, he tried to grab his gun. But suddenly two other hands grabbed his ankles and pressed them on his back. The two attackers dragged him into the shed. The sheriff had to realize he couldn't win and tried to scream. The persons ignored his efforts for help and closed the door.

"Who were they?" Chorizo asked.

"I don't know," Stump said.

"Maybe they are here to do the same, what we had planned," Kinski guessed.

"Damnhell," Bill cursed. "That's my job!"

He jumped up and together they left the house.

It wasn't long before they reached the shed.

"Bill, be careful," Kinski warned, who was afraid that the unknown persons could be more dangerous than them.

"Don't call me a fool!" Bill hissed.

"Shhhh!" Chorizo hissed. "Listen."

A rumbling sound was hearable.

"That's enough!" Bill said. "I will show them who the boss is…"

"Duck down!"

Stump pushed them behind wooden boxes. Not a moment too soon. At the next moment, the back door of the shed was opened. Bill and the others peeked over. This time it was three dark figures. One of them carried a sack over his shoulders.

Bill guessed the sheriff inside. Maybe they knocked him out. The sheriff didn't move anymore. Or was he dead? He was ready to draw his gun, but when four more dark figures appeared, he threw away this idea again.

Maybe Kinski was right. It was too dangerous to fight against so many men.

The dark figures exchanged some words, then they walked to their roadrunners, which stood meters away. They climbed up and rode away.

After a while the bandits came out of their hiding place and looked into the dark desert.

"What was that?" Stump asked.

Kinski shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. But I think the sheriff is in more troubles than before."

They looked at their leader. "What now, Bill?"

Bill stood there with crossed arms. Then he snorted. "Oh, as good as I know him, he will come back soon. And then we will continue our business."

"Eh? Do you think he will come back?" Chorizo asked unsurely.

Bill waved his hand. "Of course. Like every time. He is like a burdock. And with his great "aptitude of combination"," Bill's voice was filled with mocking. "He will come out of his troubles again."

With that he turned around. "Alright. Sheriff is out of town. Let's take the chance to hang around."


	2. Good morning, Mister Postman

In the next morning, Bill and his men woke up very early in a shed of Dirt. After they had been sure Rango wouldn't come back that night and in the morning, they had taken the liberty to sleep in the hay.

The sun hadn't come over the horizon yet and they left the town on their roadrunners. Near of a big rock, which lay next to the main street, they stopped and waited.

"He is late today," Bill muttered annoyed.

Impatiently he sat down on a little stone and wanted to reach for a cigar, but he put it away immediately when he felt the eyes of his companions.

Kinski grinned. "Did I think I would win my bet?"

The Gila monster growled darkly and pressed his fists together. "N-o."

Kinski shrugged his shoulders with indifference. "Okay, I just thought you wanted to smoke a cigar after we had bet that you wouldn't smoke for one month anymore."

Bill lifted his nose and crossed his arms. "I have a lot of self-control. - Is the water cooking?"

"Yes, it does," Stump said and stuck his thumb in the air. He sat next to a little camp fire with a bowl about it.

"He's coming!" Chorizo cried and jumped down the little hill.

They didn't have to wait long.

A stagecoach was running down the main street in high speech with a single stage driver.

In a relaxed posture, the Gila monster walked over the street and stopped in the middle. His partners followed his example and took up position behind him.

Nobody of them moved. Their hands on their revolvers.

The stagecoach came closer and closer until it had no other choice than to pull the reins. With a big dust cloud, it came to a hold.

"Good morning, Mister Postman," Bill greeted and lifted his hat.

The stage driver, an older postman and a kind of cat animal, lifted his hands with a sigh.

"Do you want to do this every week?"

Bill grinned and pulled on his suspenders.

"It's our duty to know what's going on in our town. Well then, show us the post."

Quickly the man climbed down and brought the postbag with the letters and packets for town Dirt.

"One day, one day I will lose my job because of this," he muttered while he handed the sack to Bill. "It's a violation of the post oath.

"Don't yak at my ears," Bill grunted and transported the sack to Stump. Bill emptied the postbag on a flat stone and together they rummaged the little mountain of post.

Stump took one letter after another, held them over the water vapor so that they could open the letters without to make a mark on it. After reading, they closed them carefully again with glue.

"Ho, ho," Kinski chuckled when he read one of them. "This one didn't pay his taxes yet. Nice default summons."

"Hey, Bill!" Chorizo cried and swung another letter. "This letter is anonymous."

Bill took the envelope and eyed it. "Mmpf, maybe just one of the damn silly love letters for Angelique from a secret admirer."

Kinski looked over at him. "Pretty unusual for a love letter. The letters of the alphabet were cut from a newsletter and glued together in words."

Bill shrugged with shoulders indifferently. But he had to admit it wasn't typical for such kind of letter. Thoughtfully he contemplated it. He rubbed over his chin.

Suddenly he guessed something.

"Open it immediately."

He handed Stump the letter and it didn't take much time until the letter was glued less. Bill didn't wait until he handed the letter back. He wrenched it from Stump's hand and opened it over the stone. A folded paper fell out. Together with a photography.

Kinski was the first one who picked up the photo.

"Hey ho, I know that face, don't we?"

He put it on the flat stone. All four bandits bent over it and eyed the photo.

"Mm, you seemed to be right," Kinski muttered. "They aren't planning to play with him only."


	3. Blackmail for a town

The four bandits knew such kind of picture only from crime films that they watched sometimes on television. Just with the difference that this was probably real.

They had never seen the sheriff of Dirt like that.

At least not after the big water battle in the city, but that looked worse.

The chameleon looked at the camera with a desperate look. At least it looked like this. The chameleon had blindfolded and gagged with a scarf. But his fear was unmistakable. At the bottom of the photo was the headline of a newspaper, which was supposed to serve as evidence of a date. The chameleon was not wearing a hat or vest. His clothes had probably taken away from him.

After a while, the four gunslingers exchanged glances. Nobody of them knew whether they should be glad or whatever at the sight of their hated enemy.

Finally, Bill unfolded the paper and read:

_"Be greeted dwellers of Dirt! As you can see and you can plainly see, we have your sheriff in our grip. If you want to get him back alive and well, give us the honor and deposit the jewel necklace of Faberge, 20 gold nuggets and 30 gallons fresh water until midnight to Yellow Creek under the Red Rock. Sincerely an anonymous blackmailer."_

Silence fell until Stump cleaned his throat. "Well, at least they are polite, aren't they?"

Kinski nodded. "Yeah, but wowhow, they ask very much. The Faberge necklace. That's hard."

Chorizo rubbed his forehead with surprise. "I thought it had already left our city."

"You aren't up to date," Kinski sighed. "The Faberge necklace was a present of a famous family, but never a part of the real Faberge jewels. It was just a title what they had given to it, but it's not cheap stuff. The old lady gave it for custody. But until today it was never fetched."

"Why have we never stolen it?" the Mexican mouse asked.

Stump gave the answer. "Nobody knows where it is."

"It's not in the bank," Bill interrupted thoughtfully. "Mayor John and very less people know its real abode."

Silence fell again.

"Mm, I don't think they are joking," Kinski muttered. "It looks like they beat him up heavily."

He pointed at the photo where they could see slightly darkened spots on the sheriff's torso.

"Indeed," Stump admitted. "And what are we going to do now?"

Suddenly Bill folded the paper together with the photography, put it back in the envelope and pursed it into his pants pocket.

Then he crossed his arms.

"Nothing."

"Eh?"

The three henchmen stared at him with question filled faces.

"Uh, shouldn't we inform the citizens?" Stump asked.

"Yes, why don't let we go the letter to the city with the rest of the post?"

Bill snorted, folded his hands together and looked at his companions with incurious look.

"What letter?"

* * *

Bill peeked around the corner of the dentist house. Then he took his innocent air and walked over the sidewalk with relaxed steps. His three friends followed him in the same way.

"And don't forget," Bill said and turned to them while walking. "We saw and read nothin…"

Suddenly they crashed together with someone and the four gunslingers looked at a familiar face.

"Hi, Beans," Kinski greeted.

His friends just lifted their hats.

The female lizard muttered an annoying "Same to you" and looked over them.

"What are you doing here?" she asked skeptically.

Bill angled for a cigar and inserted it in his mouth.

"What we are doing here?" he replied with relaxed voice. "What can we do in a little town?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Every time if you are in town, you make troubles. Confess, what do you plan on doing today? Rango prohibited you from coming to town."

"Oh, really?" The Gila monster took the cigar out of his mouth and eyed it thoughtfully. "I can't remember. But maybe we should ask him, what are you thinking, guys?"

He peeked over to his companions.

The rabbits and the mouse didn't know what to say.

"Uh, should we?" Stump asked and rubbed his head under his hat. In the next moment he felt Bill's hand on his collar.

"Of course we do," Bill said. "We are polite citizens, aren't we?"

He added his pulling on the collar and Stump nodded. "Of course we are."

"A good example. Well then," he waved his hand. "Let's go to the office and let's talk with our sheriff."

With that he panned to the street officewards but Beans stopped him.

"That's unnecessary. I came from the office. He isn't there."

"Oh really?"

Bill showed the biggest surprise on his face.

"Well, in this case, we will wait in the saloon until he returns."

Beans snorted with disgust. "As you wish, but he will be not amused about your presence."

The Gila monster shrugged his shoulders. "If he doesn't like, he can tell me."

With a few big steps he walked back to the sidewalk and gave her a gleeful glance.

"We will wait."

Then he continued his walk to the saloon.

But before he was more than one meter gone, he turned back to her. "Maybe he will come back faster if you search for him."

"Yes, if you search for him," Kinski joked and gave the girl a little slap on her back. Then they followed their leader.

Beans lay her hands on her hips. "I will tell him."

"I'm sure you will find him," Bill purred at her and she gave him a venomous look.

The Gila monster chucked to himself and was going to torch the cigar. But before the fire touched the tip, he stopped in his movements when Kinski's spiteful face watched him with malicious glee.

Immediately his boss waved the fire out and threw the dry unlighted weed on the floor where it made its acquaintance with his shoe.

"Self-control?" Kinski muttered with a smile. "Now I get it."

* * *

"What are you laughing about?" Stump asked.

They sat in a lonely corner of the saloon. On the table two bottles of cactus juice.

"Oh dear," the Gila monster chuckled. "I'm imagining how these idiots wait high and low and kick their heels because they think someone would pay them."

The others agreed with his laugh until it died down.

Stump cleaned his glass on his shirt. "Well, then I hope that they don't hurt him too much."

Bill waved his hand. "Tomorrow we will know more."

"Will we rummage the post again?" Chorizo asked.

Bill nodded. "Of course." He made a little break. "Unless a packet with a corpse comes instead."

First there was silence. But then they laughed.

"Well then," Bill stopped the laugh phase. "Let's enjoy the sheriff-less time. Tonight, we let it all hang out!"

With that he slammed with his flat hand on the table.

"Hey, old toad! A new round!"


	4. 4. Headache and more time

Saloon Lady Melonee petted over her freshly styled hair before she opened one of the guest rooms of the hotel. It was early in the morning and the streets of Dirt still empty and quiet.

Loud snoring met her ears. With a glee smile she watched the four gunslingers who lay in a group of four in a double bed.

The rest of the night they had played karts, dallied with the girls and drank one bottle after another.

The saloon lady passed the bed and parted the curtains.

"G'day! It's 6 o'clock!"

A loud wailing and nagging grumbling filled the room. Bill threw himself to the other side that the bed creaked. Kinski put a pillow over his face. Chorizo buried himself under the blanket while Stump fell off the bed.

Melonee put her hands on her hips and watched the tired bunch.

"Dear, dear. Standing up time!"

She bent over and shook Bill's shoulder.

"Shut your mouth, dopey cow!" he muttered loudly and hit at her with weak waving of his hand.

"Ts, ts." Melonee crossed her arms. "You said I should wake you up at 6 o'clock."

"Why the hell should I order such shit?" Bill grunted.

Melonee snorted. "Like you want, I just did what you said."

She turned around to leave the room, but suddenly Bill lifted his head.

"What time you said is it?"

"Few minutes after 6 o'clock."

"6 o'cl… damn! The post!"

Bill sat up and gave Kinski who laid next to him a hard push. "We have to meet our stage coach!"

Bill swung his feet over the edge of the bed, but the blanket had tangled up his legs. He fell forward with a loud crash on the floor on Stump. Kinski who had wrapped in the blanket was carried with him off and landed on the Gila monster's back. Chorizo who lay at the bottom of the bed groaned loudly when Kinski's big feet met his head.

"Mamá!" he wailed.

Melonee looked down at them and shook her head with disgust.

"And what need my little babies now?"

Stump looked up and held his head. "Aspirin!"

* * *

Moments later they sat at the counter in the saloon. In front of them four glasses of water and aspirin tablets.

Chorizo had the less headache. "I had so much in my mind last night that I almost forgot our little friend."

"Meh, that was the sense of our trip," Bill muttered and rubbed over his tired face.

"Mmm," Stump started. "Yesterday was… payday."

"What payday?" Bill asked and drunk innocently his glass of water.

Stump nodded tiredly. "Yes, sure."

* * *

"Does that happen every day now?" the postman wailed. "In the past it was just once a week."

"Hell, don't gabble," Bill grunted and took the postbag.

It wasn't much post like always so that they made a find quickly.

"I've found it," Stump cried.

Bill didn't wait and took the letter. He tore open the letter, they didn't want to show it someone else anyway.

This time it was just a little paper, again with cut letters of the alphabet.

"These are fewer words than in the last message, right?" Kinski said.

Bill didn't reply and read:

 _"You need more time to fulfil our requirements, don't you?_ (a cut out scrowl emoji had placed after that sentence). _Well then, paper doesn't blush, but just once. We give you 24 hours more. Time and place the same. Don't be late or…"_

"Or what?" Chorizo asked and bent over.

"No more," Bill corrected. "They spare the letters after "or". Maybe we should know what they want to say."

He folded the paper together.

Awkward silence lapsed.

"Mm, what should we do now?" Stump asked. "He got a grace period."

Chorizo nodded. "Should we give Beans the letter?"

"What the…" Kinski and the others stared at their leader how he set the letter on fire.

"The letter was lost on his way," the Gila monster commented. "That's possible every day."

He let the burning paper fall to the ground where it crumbled to ashes.

Under the view of his companions, he turned around.

But Bill just crossed his hands behind his back of his head.

"Well, shit happens."


	5. Speculations

"What are you thinking about?"

Kinski gave Stump a little sidekick.

They were sitting in the saloon on their lonely regular seat in a corner and were eating their breakfast.

"Mm, uh, I just thought how he is feeling now," Stump muttered back. "What are you thinking?"

"Mm, I wonder more what's behind it all."

"What do you mean?"

"Who should kidnap him? I really wish I could find it out."

"Like Sherlock Holmes? Cool." Stump leaned back. "When I was a child, I watched the movies of him."

His friends looked at their companion and were surprised about his television interest.

"You?" Chorizo asked with surprise.

Stump crossed his arms. "Why not?"

"Don't let it hear him or he arrests you."

"It's only a fictional figure."

"Whatever," Bill cut the dialog. "For fellas like us, it's a no-go."

Stump ducked his head and sipped his cactus juice. "Uhm, okay."

"And it's not our business," Bill continued and took a piece of bread. "We don't sully our hands because of him. The sheriff is gone. And soon, maybe forever. He got his punishment what he deserved and the town will be ours again."

He laughed.

His henchmen forced a laugh too, but suddenly they became silent immediately.

Bill noticed their silence and looked around.

"What's your problem?"

Kinski, who sat facing him, moved his eyes at him and behind him.

The Gila monster had no idea what he wanted to say exactly, but he guessed that someone was standing behind him who shouldn't know about their secret.

Slowly he turned around in his chair.

With a deep sigh, he leaned his elbow on the chair back.

"Am I dreaming or is a cloud over your face?"

He chuckled, but Beans wasn't in mood of laughing.

"Did you see Rango?" she asked gruffly.

Bill shrugged a shoulder. "We haven't seen him since yesterday."

At this moment Stump coughed.

"Raisins," he explained and pointed at his plate.

Beans bent down and put her hands on the table. With severe look she looked around.

"Did you see him?"

"No," all spoke with one voice.

"Listen, Babe," Bill said and grabbed her arm.

"If you want that he comes back…"

His companions held their breath.

"… Maybe I know how we can summon him."

The big lizard jumped up from his chair and turned around. He drew his two revolvers and shot at the counter wall. Buford took shelter in the last second before the broken glass of the mirrors rained down on him.

Bill laughed.

"See you," he put one revolver away. With the other one he waved over Beans's face.

"Now you only have to wait until he comes to arrest me for that mess. Guys!"

He beckoned his men over and walked to the exit.

"Let's snap some fresh air."

With that he went through the saloon door. The others followed him, just Stump took a croissant from another guest.

Together they left the saloon and let an angry female lizard alone.

On the sidewalk, they met and stopped. Bill rubbed over his back.

"Bill?" Stump asked.

"Mmmh?"

"Should we search through the post tomorrow again?"

"Of course we will." The Gila monster stretched his body, totally glad to have a sheriff-free zone. "We have to be up to date."

The rest of the day they amused themselves. The four gunslingers pulled an all-nighter with a lot of alcohol until they fell into their double bed in the hotel.

* * *

"Kinski?" Stump muttered.

"Mmm?"

"Are you sleeping yet?"

"Yes, I'm sleeping and I'm dreaming, that you are calling my name."

The tower clock was tolling.

"Midnight," Kinski muttered.

"Midnight, yes," Stump added quietly.

"Mm," Chorizo agreed.

Their eyes wandered next to Bill.

Everyone kept his breath, waiting for an answer of their leader.

But all what they heard was a quiet snoring.

* * *

It was no wonder that they waited for the postman with tired eyes at the meeting point in the next morning.

Even the postman noticed that when he handed the postbag to Bill.

"Did you drink yesterday?"

"None of your beeswax!" Bill ranted at him. "Show me what you got in your postbag."

He grabbed it and tugged it to the familiar flat stone.

And no long time and…

"I've found…!"

Stump couldn't finish his sentence after Bill grabbed the letter out of his hand.

But the Gila monster didn't open it. Instead, he put it on the flat stone.

Silently they looked down at it.

Even Bill was silent. Yesterday he had made jokes about it, but now he felt a little bad for what they had to expect.

Kinski looked around. "Alright, who wants to open it?"

They exchanged glances.

After a while, Bill did it.

Carefully, he severed the envelope. Shortly after a familiar paper fell out with a photography.

The photo had the same format like the first time. Now it lay inverted upside down with the picture side on the stone table.

The four men stared at it.

Somehow nobody dared to turn the picture around.

Finally, Kinski plucked up courage and turned the photography so that could see the picture.

"Good Lord."


	6. Last warning

Stump couldn't avoid chewing on his fingers.

This photo was much different from the last one.

The chameleon lay on the floor. The camera made the picture from the side so that they could see the whole body of the green lizard. Blindfolded, gagged, hands tied on his back and the legs tied together. It looked like the unknown blackmailer had forced him to take this position, although he had problems to lie stiffly. Despite all his upper body was still ducked. Either of pain or of fear. As if he wanted to beg that they should stop. No wonder. His body had covered with bruises, some lacerations and more than three incised wounds on his arm and leg. It was impossible to see whether he had some broken bones or not.

With a quick wave of his hand, Bill unfolded the note. The letters reappeared and this time it was almost only red letters.

" _Reply to us! Fulfil our requirements! Or we cut off your sheriff's fingers. With every delay, he will lose one part more of his body._

_That's the last warning!_

_His current condition is just a mild foretaste."_

Bill didn't read the text. Everyone read it for himself.

* * *

Buford noticed that Bill and the others were remarkably silent. Otherwise, they had always come in with loud laughter or rumbling. But today they came through the door like good churchgoers. Silently they took seats at the counter.

Buford poured them cactus juice. But Bill grabbed the bottle and put it on the table beside him. Stump ran a finger thoughtfully over the edge of his glass. Chorizo circled his fingers aimlessly and stared at his hands. Just Kinski, who sat beside Bill, peeked over to him. Since they had read the note, he hadn't said much anymore. Just a short "Bad luck."

Buford, who couldn't understand that silence, looked at Bill from time to time.

Finally, Bill hit his fist on the table and screamed.

"Arrrghh! Stop staring at me!"

All people in the room looked at him. Bill turned around.

"What are you peering for?!"

Quickly all people turned away again.

His three companions sat on their chairs frozen in shock. After a while, Bill had calmed down again, they relaxed a little and the unusual silence came back.

But that silence gave Bill the rest.

Without warning, he slammed the glass on the tabletop. Then he stood up and left the saloon with heavy fast steps.

Kinski, Stump and Chorizo looked at each other. Then they left their seats and walked outside under the eyes of the shocked citizens.

* * *

"Where is he gone?" Stump scratched his head.

The street was empty, just a few farmers crossed it.

Kinski blew against his bangs. "He can't be far away."

* * *

After a while they found their boss on the beach of the lake.

The Gila monster lay on the back, arms and legs stretched out.

"Tramps," he muttered. "Idiots."

The three mammals didn't know what to do instead and lay down next to him.

First Kinski, then Stump and Chorizo and stared into the sky.

After some curses more from Bill, Kinski dared to break the cursing time.

"What about tomorrow?"

"About what?" Bill growled with an annoyed voice.

"Just out of curiosity."

Bill covered his face with his hat. "Shit."

For a moment nobody said a word until Stump cleaned his throat.

"What should we do with them?"

Chorizo looked at him. "With what?"

"With the… fingers."

Kinski crossed his hands on his back of his head. "I'm not exactly overanxious to pick up some dead body remains."

"Body parts," Chorizo corrected. "He is still alive."

"So much the worse."

"What are you muttering about?" the muffling voice of Bill sounded and lifted his hat.

"Why don't we give the letter to Beans or someone else?" Stump suggested.

"Yes," Chorizo hoped. "Why all this stress?"

With a jerk, Bill sat up and gave him an angry look. "What stress?"

"Oh, come on," Kinski said and sat up too. "Since that damn letter you don't speak a word anymore."

"Wasn't I loud enough in the saloon?"

"You take issue with that situation, don't you?"

The rabbit winced when Bill reared up with aggressive gesture. "I thought that's what we wanted! That he disappears, didn't we?"

His friends lowered their glances.

The Gila monster crossed his arms with satisfaction. "There we go."

"What a shame," Kinski's voice muttered. "And I thought you wanted to blow away his brain alone. Now the others have the pleasure of doing your job."

"My job?"

With amazement, Bill looked at the laying down rabbit.

"That's what you said," Stump added. "That it would be your job to kill him."

"Did I?"

The lizard thought a moment. But then he turned away and walked along the beach. His shoe soles touched little water waves from time to time.

He stopped suddenly and looked at the town when strokes of clock sounded.

The three on beach laying animals rolled themselves on their bellies and counted.

"10 o'clock," Kinski commented.

They stood up and went over to Bill, who stood there, his arms akimbo and looked with narrowed eyes before he crossed his arms.

"How many hours remain us until midnight?" he asked.

Kinski counted silently. "14 hours."


	7. Meaningless evidences

"What's your plan, Bill?"

With questioning looks, they watched how the Gila monster rummaged in his private box what he used to hide under his bed.

Meanwhile, they had returned to their hiding place and Bill still hadn't made a statement.

"What do you want to do with that?"

Stump pointed at the long belt of bullets.

"I only want to finish my job," Bill said and stood up.

"Aaaaand?" Kinski asked. "Means what?"

"What do you think? I don't know why you ask. Looking for that idiots who put paid to our plans. And you will lead us to them."

Stump looked up with surprise. "What? Who? Me?"

"Who else is the expert for detective work?"

"But Bill, only that I watched detective movies in my childhood, that's a far cry from saying that…"

"Like your literary stuff like that?"

Bill held up a book.

Stump became red. "Where did you…? Do you snoop in my private matters?"

Bill grinned and threw the book over Stump's head. The rabbit tried to catch, but Kinski caught it instead.

"The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes?" the bigger rabbit read before Stump pried it away from him.

"Just childhood memories."

"And what about this?"

Bill held another book.

"Edgar Wallace?" Chorizo asked with surprise before Stump took it, too.

The Gila monster grinned. "Fine. In this case we have agreed with that. You make the investigating work. What says the expert now?"

He leaned himself against the house wall of their hiding place and waited for a wise answer.

Kinski meanwhile scratched his head. "But didn't Sherlock Holmes investigate in murder cases? We still have no corpse."

"It wasn't only corpses near," Stump muttered.

"You see." Bill pointed at Stump's head. "His brain is working. Well, shut up. What next?"

Stump stood there like forgotten and looked at his friends.

"Eeeeeeh. Sherlock Holmes… would look for… evidences. Even the smallest detail could be very important."

The lizard, rabbit and mouse furrowed their brows.

"Details? Details," Chorizo muttered.

"Let's answer another question," Stump said, still a little confused. "Where was the missing person seen for the last time?"

"We know where," Bill grunted. "We had been there."

"Yes, but maybe someone of them had lost something," Stump argued. "We need a track which we can follow."

"A track?" Kinski rubbed his ear. "You mean, a detector dog?"

"Not really. Something what the guys had lost what could lead us to them."

Bill snapped his fingers. "What they "lost" are the letters."

With that the lizard threw the letters on a table.

All four men surrounded them.

"Well, let's take a closer look."

Very soon they had opened the letters so that the envelopes, the notes and the two photographs lay in front of them. Deep in thoughts they eyed them.

"Do you see anything?" Kinski asked around.

"What should they tell us?" Chorizo asked.

"Think about the details," Stump said.

Kinski tapped with his fingers on the photos. "I could be wrong, but maybe these photos were made with an instant picture camera."

"Nice," Bill snorted sarcastically. "Should we collect the names of the ones who bought such a thing?"

"No," Stump stopped his anger. "But the photos could tell us a lot."

"And what, photo whisperer?" Chorizo muttered.

Stump bent more forward. "Mm, looks like a… look at the background. The room. What does it look like?"

All four eyed the photos closer, trying to interpret the background where the chameleon seemed to be captured.

"Mm, a cave?" Chorizo guessed.

Kinski shock his head. "No, too straight walls."

"A part of a hut?" Chorizo tried again. "A shed?"

Bill covered his face. "Where the hell do you see wooden walls?"

"A dungeon?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Bill said and tapped the mouse head.

"Do you have a better idea?"

The Gila monster crossed his arms and looked with narrowed eyes at the photos.

First at the photo where Rango sat and the next where the chameleon lay on the floor. The floor. It was hard. Stone? Cement? All walls were made from hard material.

Suddenly he snapped his fingers. "A cellar."

The others took a closer look.

Kinski rubbed his chin. "Mm, possible, possible."

"We made one step more," Stump joyed.

"Yes, but with no much sense," Kinski grunted. "We can't look at every house with a cellar."

"What about the letters?" Stump changed the topic.

"What about them?" Chorizo asked and took the first letter in his hand. "The letters could be from every newspaper or magazine…"

"But maybe they left their DNA on them."

"DNA… what?" Chorizo had no idea.

"Nowadays that's a brand-new process in forensic science. Everyone has his own DNA in our cells. With that, they can match your track on a place like a fingerprint. Fingerprint?... Yes…that…"

"Nice, nice," Kinski stopped his forensic science enthusiasm. "Do you know a laboratory for such a "brand-new" science?"

Stump forced a smile. "Not yet…but…"

"Sherlock Holmes had a laboratory," Chorizo said while he flicked through the book.

"Nonsense!" Bill cried. "We aren't FBI or whatever."

"Agents?" Kinski liked that idea. "Cool."

"Fingerprints!" Stump screamed.

All three others stared at him.

The rabbit raised his hands. "A very old trick, but still very useful."

Kinski rolled his eyes. "But there is one problem."

He pointed at the letters.

"We all touched the letters. Maybe we can't find useful fingerprints anymore."

With nervous hands, Stump rummaged through his head hair. "Maybe we should wait until tomorrow for a new letter…"

"Damn, man!" Kinski grabbed his shoulders. "Tomorrow we get the fingers!"

"Okay, okay, okay…" Stump broke free from him. "Alright, I got it!"

Bill meanwhile stood in the room, deep in thoughts. "But maybe, this though is not so stupid. Just in case if the blackmailer was stupid, as always… Say, what do you need for that process?"

Stump thought a moment. "Well, we will need ink pad, paper, pencils, sellotape, brushes…"

* * *

"What do you want to do with that?"

Mrs. Daisy asked, who was working in the post office of Dirt. She was more than surprised when Bill asked her for office utensils.

"Keep your mouth and give them to me," Bill only said.

He wanted to leave that house immediately before she could ask something about under water vapor opened letters.

With a little box in his hands, Bill disappeared in an old shed, where the others waited for him.

Stump took ink pad and paper first.

"Alright. Every one of you have to tape his fingerprints on the paper."

The others crossed their arms. "Means what?"

* * *

"That's so childish," Kinski muttered and rubbed his blue colored fingertips together.

If Stump hadn't drawn his fingerprints on the paper, too, nobody would have colored his fingers blue.

After everyone had pressed his blue fingertips on the paper, they made an overview about their work.

"We should burn it after that," Kinski suggested. "Before someone gets the idea to use it for the criminal file.

"Don't worry," Stump calmed him. "It's just for this moment. Okay, now the pencils."

He took another paper and put some pencils beside it. Then he took a knife and rubbed the top of the pencils over the paper so that a little pencil powder came into being.

"Where did you learn that?" Chorizo asked.

"Unimportant," Bill barged in and was busy to clean his blue fingertips with a towel. "Let him do his work. I want to finish up this stupid action today."

"Okay," Stump said finally.

With the powder and a brush, he wiped over the letters to fix some fingerprints. After that, he saved them with a piece of sellotape, and glued them on another paper.

"They are a lot of fingerprints," he explained the result. "Ours and another one what isn't from us."

"Maybe from the blackmailer," Chorizo guessed.

"Maybe, but maybe they wore gloves," Kinski objected. "And more possible, these strange fingerprints could be from the postman only."

"Again an impasse?" Bill sounded more than disappointed. But he had the next idea immediately. "In this case we should pay a visit to the postman."

The others looked at him. Then they nodded.

"Alright, but maybe, before we leave, we should scrutinize the crime scene," Stump said.

Bill narrowed his eyes warningly. "Don't say such words again. You are sounding like that sheriff now."

* * *

"Trackless area," Kinski reported.

As good as they searched in the shed where the kidnappers had knocked out the sheriff, they found nothing.

"They left nothing," Chorizo brought it to the point. "No suspicious hair, no piece of stuff, no credit cards, nothing."

"Alright gentlemen." Bill stood up and cleaned his pants. "In this case we travel to the main post office in Primrose Town now."

The others assented to his view.

They left the shed and climbed on their roadrunners.

"What's that?" Chorizo asked and pointed at something what Kinski held in his hand.

"A pocket watch."

"Expensive?"

"It was a gift."

Chorizo smiled. "Of course. Well, what time is it?"

Kinski took a look at the watch. "Well, until midnight, we have almost 12 hours."

"As long as you don't count every minute," Bill interrupted him. "We shouldn't waste more time."

He rode first.

Chorizo bent over to Kinski. "Do you really think, that he comes with us, just because, that it's his job?"

"Whatever. But I don't want to get body parts in the post. Either a whole corpse in life or nothing."

"What are you babbling?" Bill asked loudly. "I want to make fast work of that before the clock belts midnight. And by the way, I'm still the leader of our group, alright?"

Kinski sighed loudly. „Alright, Sherlock Holmes. And I'm Dr. Watson and you…"

He pointed at Stump. "You are Columbo."

"And what about me?" Chorizo asked curiously.

"You play Miss Marple."


	8. Post, rum and ladies

Primrose Town wasn't just a bigger city than Dirt, it had much more convenience. But there were no primroses, although the origin of the name was after the first settlers found a primrose in that place. But it had been the last primrose. One house after another was built and took more and more place.

Bill, Kinski, Stump and Chorizo on their roadrunners needed more than five minutes until they reached the middle of the city. Not only because of the longer street. The streets were full of farmer carts, city people and roadrunners. Stump couldn't resist and waved his hat at few ladies who stood on a balcony.

"Remember," Bill interrupted his joy. "We aren't here for pleasure."

"Yes, yes," Stump muttered with disappointment and tried to distract himself with something other.

Primrose Town was exactly the opposite of Dirt. General stores on both sides, even a toyshop.

Bill raised his arm and waved to the right side. The main post office stood not far away, but it was more difficult to find a place where they could tie their roadrunners.

After a while they found a free standing place and they climbed down.

While they tied the reins, Stump gave Kinski a sidekick.

"Do you believe that he could be hidden somewhere here?" He whispered.

Kinski looked around. "Mm, that could be."

"Stop talking, come on," Bill said and walked along the sidewalk to the post office, which was twice as big the little post house in their hometown.

Kinski took the chance to take a look at his pocket watch.

They had less than 10 hours until midnight.

* * *

"Finishing time at last."

The old postman adjusted his casual clothes.

"What a luck that I only have the Dirt route."

He opened the back door of the post office. The old cat had only crossed the door frame, suddenly two strong hands grabbed his shoulders and carried him away.

"What the… HEY!"

His protests were ignored. He was carried off around a lonely corner and they threw him to the ground.

The postman's eyes grew wide when he looked up into a familiar, for him joyless, face.

"No! Twice a day is too much!"

He covered his face when Bill snorted at him.

"Don't babble rubbish."

The Gila monster grabbed him on his jacket and tugged him to his feet. His three companions surrounded the old cat and watched him with some curiosity.

Bill grabbed the postman's front collar and looked at him darkly that everyone could blanch of fear.

"We aren't here to read some love letters. Just answer the question, who gave you the anonymous letters?"

The old man gasped when Bill added his tug.

"What letters?"

The lizard had expected that stupid question and held the two blackmailing letters on his nose.

"Has your brain awoken? Talk!"

The cat had to stand on his tiptoes when Bill lifted him higher.

"I- I really don't know," he stuttered. "I see them for the first time."

The tiptoes almost left the ground.

"Listen, stamp gluer," Bill hissed threateningly. "The letters have no postmark. Only you could have sorted it in the postbag."

"But I can't remember! Somebody must have pursed it into the postbag after I controlled them."

Stump petted over his chin. "In this case the fingerprints are from the person, who threw the letter in the postbag after he left the main post office."

Bill loosened his grip a little. "The blackmailer could be here in this town."

"Can I go home now?" the postman stuttered and lifted his trembling hand. "My wife is waiting for me."

Bill took him closer for the last time. "And you've seen nothing?"

The Gila monster's eyes spoke a clear language, but his expectations were disappointed.

"No," the man shook his head wildly. "Nothing."

Bill let him fall and the cat landed on his bottom.

"Again an impasse," Kinski repined.

"Not quite," Bill muttered.

Together they left the lonely alley and walked to the busy street while the cat stood up with a loud moan and rubbed his hurting back.

"At least we know it happened here." Bill stopped on the sidewalk and stood there with crossed arms. "But who?"

The big lizard narrowed his eyes and gave the impression of to look through the house walls.

"Bill?"

"Mm?"

He turned around to Stump.

"If the blackmailer or the accomplice of the blackmailer, had put the blackmailing letter in the postbag, somebody had seen it maybe."

"Nice, should we interview all people here?"

Chorizo lifted his hand. "Maybe we could make a circular note."

"Are you okay?" Kinski said sarcastically. "Stop your stupid jokes."

"Guys, we can't go on like this," Bill looked to the sky.

Kinski had put out his watch and waved the open housing in the air so that everyone could see the time.

"Time doesn't stop."

The loud growling of Bill let him wince and he put the pocket watch away.

Everyone knew that they needed a new hint immediately.

"Bill?" Chorizo asked with hesitation.

"Yes?"

"I'm thirsty."

"No bad idea, Bill," Stump helped along. "Maybe we could find someone who could give us a little help."

Before Bill could open his mouth, Stump spoke on faster.

"Sherlock Holmes had also visited bars to find out some information."

Bill gave in. "Alright, that had been my next suggestion anyway."

* * *

The saloon of Primrose Town was much bigger than the saloon in Dirt. Maybe thrice bigger. And of course with more luxury. And with much more people.

When they entered, a cloud of smoke and loud voices met them.

Men and women were sitting, standing, playing and drinking like they had never seen such an ado in Dirt.

"And now, little genius?" Bill hissed at Stump. "Who of them would Sherlock Holmes ask a question now?"

Stump rubbed his head. "Well, well, maybe we could… let's take a drink first."

With a wide smile he went through the rows of tables.

Bill growled and looked at Kinski and Chorizo.

"I swear, if that is over, I will kill that lizard."

Suddenly somebody grabbed him from behind. Bill twisted around with lifted fist.

"Hey, Billy, old house."

A big lizard, a little smaller than Bill and with a strong, scaly reptile skin, embraced him and clapped on his back. He wore a white, red flat hat, a dirty white jacket and dusty jeans and more dusty shoes.

The Gila monster was still so confused that he needed a few seconds before he realized who was holding him in his arms. "Clark? You here?"

* * *

"How long was your last prison stay?"

Clark laughed while Stump's question and poured himself a new glass.

They sat around a table, in a quieter corner of the saloon and the four gunslingers watched the lizard how he emptied the third little glass.

"Several times," Clark said amused. "My last sitting was one year. I sat so many times in prisons, I didn't count anymore."

"Like in the past," Bill muttered to himself and smiled mockingly.

The other lizard laughed.

"Yeah, those were the days where the west was still a west. You were a young boy when we stole our first roadrunners."

Bill snorted amused. "How can I forget? I'm still hearing the loud curses of the followers."

Clark spluttered when he was going to drink a new filled glass. "At least they didn't catch us, otherwise we would hang on trees until today."

Kinski took the bottle what Clark had ordered.

"Rum?"

Clark chuckled. "When I was a little boy, I wanted to be a pirate. But instead it remained a fella in the desert."

"With that hat?" Chorizo eyed the white, red banded headdress.

The spiny lizard took the hat and waved it. "I've found nothing better to steal to protect my head from the sun. I also had to steal that stuff."

He showed on the dirty white jacket.

"But it makes me younger, doesn't it?"

He donned the unusual hat again and took a new glass of rum.

"But why are you landed here?"

Now they remembered why they came here and Bill cleaned his throat with business sound.

"We have a little score to settle. Maybe you could help us."

Clark hesitated to hold the next glass to his lips.

"Can I?"

The Gila monster bent more forward and whispered, just to be sure that nobody else could hear them.

"Do you know something about a… kidnapped chameleon?"

Clark rolled his eyes to the ceiling and thought with a long "Mmmmm….. A chameleon? In the desert?"

"Not a chameleon," Stump added. "But _the_ chameleon."

For a moment, Clark sat on his chair like stone. Then he lighted up his face.

"Oh, oh, ho, ho. You mean your new competitor? I've heard about it. That's so funny. Why do you want to hear… what was the question?"

"Weellllll," Kinski began and crossed his hands on his back of the head. "He is vanished, and we want to find him to… well."

"Just tell us, did you hear anything?" Bill tried again.

But Clark's face didn't show much hope. "Well, I can't refuse you anything, and I know many people in this town, but a kidnapped chameleon?"

He emptied his new filled glass.

"I didn't hear about. And you have to understand… My business is stealing and selling, but kidnapping and murdering, I gave it a wide berth. No offense."

He gave Bill a warm smile. "You have done well in your gunslinger job, but that's not my specialist area. And in my old ages…"

He shrugged his shoulders, but looked around with dismay when he saw the disappointment in his collocutor's face.

He swung the rest of rum in his glass and thought a moment.

"But maybe I could recommend you someone who has eyes and ears everywhere."

He chuckled.

"Oh, I'm sure you will like her."

"Her?" Stump asked with surprise.

"Blacky Mary. It's her alias and she knows her job. Oh, yes. Look at the wellness club."

"A club?" Now it was Bill who sounded surprised.

"Luxurious, with sweat bath, massage, dining area and an apartment with very, very nice ladies."

"What kind of ladies?" Chorizo asked curiously.

"Oh, as if you didn't know…"

"What did you mean with her?" Bill interrupted.

"She knows a lot of men. And knows every newest gossip in the town. Ask for Blacky Mary. Maybe she tells you what you want to hear. Ask her. She knows pretty much. Sometimes too much. I'm sure she could blackmail a lot of men, if she said their wives where they had spent the night. But she is very generous. That's the reason why so many confide one or two secrets to her…. Hey."

Bill had jumped up and went backwards.

"You are looking very young," the Gila monster joked. "We have to go now."

Clark waved the rum bottle. "Don't you want to take a drink with me?"

"We are pushed for time," Kinski said and followed their boss.

"Maybe another time," Stump said to him and left the surprised old lizard.

* * *

"Do I have to repeat it again? Or are you deaf?! No entry. We open in the evening again."

The doorman, a big wolf, crossed his arms. He was sturdily built, a hunk of a bodybuilder, who had come out of the back door of the wellness house. Behind him a door with the signs: Entrance. Employees only.

Bill pressed his fists together.

"We only want to talk with her," he asked with clenched teeth, but as polite as possible. "Just some questions."

"Ladies only."

Bill didn't want to challenge that behemoth for a fight and tried it at diplomatic level.

"And I _only_ want some answers - only."

Kinski, Stump and Chorizo stood behind him and looked at the big doorkeeper with some tracks of fear.

"Excuse me, I'm late," a female voice twittered and a young female fox woman in red-black dress, black feather boa and a black hand-held fan appeared next to the four gunslingers.

The doorman's face became friendly immediately and stepped one big step aside.

"Go in."

The vixen eyed the four desert men and gave them a gentle smile.

"Oh, hi." She hid her lips behind the hand fan and chuckled. "I like bad boys."

She lowered the fan and kissed at them in the air.

Stump reciprocated her blandishment with a sheepish childish smile, but Bill rebuked him with a loud hissing.

With amused laughing the woman went through the door. The doorman followed her and was going to close the door.

"Hey!" Bill cried. "We…"

"It's closed."

With that the big bully slammed the door and let them standing there.

Chorizo sighed with deep disappointment. "Bad day for us, guys."

"You say it," added Stump and thought about how the woman would kiss his lips.

"And what now?" Kinski asked and put his hands in his trouser pockets.

The Gila monster was still staring at the door.

A few seconds of silence passed until Bill started to open his mouth with quiet voice.

"Ladies only," he muttered and looked behind at his friends.

"Ladies only," Stump repeated.

Bill nodded with neutral facial expression. "Mmh. Ladies only."

His glance stuck at his three companions and let his eyes wander over their heads.

"Uh, Bill?" Stump asked unsurely. "Anything wrong? You are looking so strange."

Chorizo and Stump realized that Bill's glance stopped on Kinski, who stood back most of them. They didn't understand and turned around to him.

Kinski looked around in confusion.

"What?"

Bill narrowed his eyes and rubbed thoughtfully over his chin. "Some people say, blond hair looks sexy."

Kinski's eyes wandered up and he blew over his blond bangs.

"Thank you."

He forced a smile and stroked over a strand of hair.

Just when Bill didn't avert his gaze from him, he realized that the hairstyle compliment wasn't a compliment to a man.

The rabbit's eyes grew wide. He looked at the wellness house, then back to Bill. He winced and shook his head slowly. "No."

A silence surrounded the four men.

Suddenly Kinski turned around, but before he could make one jump away, he felt Bill's strong hands on his shirt. Kinski fell with his upper body forward to the ground while he was pulled away on his pants.

"Bill! NO!"

The rabbit dug his fingers in the ground, but that was useless.

"Where do you bring me?!"

"We go shopping."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clark is an old spiny lizard (Clark's spiny lizard, Sceloporus clarkii).


	9. Undercover

Nobody in Primrose Town knew what was happening in a lonely corner behind some houses in a lonely alley. At least it was lonely enough so that nobody could hear a protesting voice, followed with harsh commandos.

"No!"

"You put this on now!"

The Gila monster's voice sounded like a bad daddy who ranted with his little mutinous son.

But Kinski crossed his arms and eyed the red-black dress with deep disgust what Bill held out to him, what Bill had "borrowed" from a clothesline robe.

"But, dude," Stump tried to calm down the tensed situation. "You have to sacrifice your personality. Otherwise, we will never find…"

"I know!" Kinski interrupted him loudly and contorted his face even more.

"I'm watching the time the whole time," he hissed through his teeth. "But you can't force me to put this on."

He turned around and lifted his nose in the air.

Stump cleaned his throat. "But you've said you wanted to wear a dress on the last carnival."

Kinski snorted loudly and looked at him angrily. "I've been a child! Now I'm an adult and I'll not wear that drag."

Bill was shortly before to grab him, but Stump and Chorizo held him back in last second.

"As you want," Stump said. "Then we have to cancel the work. Our whole work for nothing."

He waved at Kinski with disappointment and walked away. "Other people had never behaved so stupidly. I read about so many undercover agents, they would do a swap with you."

Chorizo followed him in the same way. "Yes, thank you very much for the flop. Come Bill, let's take a drink. I don't want to count the seconds until midnight."

Bill meanwhile had thrown the dress on the floor and kicked it. Then he went away too.

The still angry rabbit looked after them, then he eyed the dress on the floor.

The three had almost gone around the corner, when they heard an obstinate grim sound. "Alright."

* * *

"That's… to-o… tight."

"Suck in your stomach."

"That's so… dumb!"

"I can't tie together that thing on the back," Stump panted who was busy to bind the cords of Kinski's dress on his back together and waved at Bill.

"Could you give me a helping hand?"

Bill snorted and went over. "Have you never seen a lady from behind?"

"Of course," Stump argued. "But I never had to put them on a dress."

Bill didn't reply and grabbed the cords of the dress.

"Bill! You suffocate me!"

The lizard loosened tugging.

"You should diet."

"OH, and what about…"

Bill tugged the cords again. "Did you want to say anything?!"

The rabbit in dress shook his head. "No, no."

"I've got it, guys." Chorizo appeared around a corner and stopped immediately.

Kinski narrowed his eyes. "Say nothing."

"Oh, no," Chorizo stuttered. "You look… uh… fine."

"For a drunken clown," Kinski pressed through the teeth.

"But with these you will look… irresistible."

The mouse held up a box with some makeup utensils.

"Where did you get that?" Stump asked with surprise.

"Professional secret."

"Anyway," Bill grunted and tied the cords and went a few steps back. "Mm, still a big belly, but it could work."

Before Kinski could protest, Stump took the box. "Well, let's paint Mona Lisa."

* * *

"No, no re…"

"Red lips are still the best," Stump cut the rabbit's protest and pressed the tip of the lipstick on Kinski's lips.

Stump covered the whole mouth with red color.

"Perfect, with that nobody will resist you."

Kinski pushed him away. "Hang on a minute! I should cheat my way through the door, but not inviting the doorman for a date."

"But you should look like a lady for a date."

Stump chuckled.

"Powder," Chorizo thrust a powder compact into Stump's hand.

Bill didn't participate in doing the face art and watched all from the distance.

"Oh, this too."

Stump eyed the object in Chorizo's hands.

"What's that?"

"Something for the eyes, but you can also use it to paint a beauty spot over the lip. Fresca does it from time to time. That's fashionable."

Stump shrugged his shoulders. "Well then."

"Don't you think you overexaggerate…"

But nobody listened to the dressed rabbit and shortly after a little black spot enthroned over the left side of his lips.

"And we don't have to forget that one."

With a wide grin, Chorizo held up a blond wig. "Apposite to your hair."

Kinski said nothing and let it happen that they put the wig on his head.

"And now… last but not least…" Chorizo held a perfume bottle.

Stump eyed the red-orange bottle. "No-uit d'… uh am…"

" _Nuit d'amour_ ," Chorizo read it with a French accent.

"That smells…" Stump took a new deep breath. "Whoa, that smells good! Like roses and candies together in a soap bath. If Beans wore such a smell, I would kiss her immediately."

Kinski covered his lips, just to be on the safe side. And before he knew what was happening, he was fogged in a smelling cloud.

With heavy panting, he waved his hands. "Do you wanna gas me?!"

"Et voila."

Chorizo and Stump were more than satisfied with their work. Bill eyed their masterpiece, and had some troubles to smother a smirking.

"Even not mother would recognize you," Stump continued and gave Kinski a sidekick.

"Damn! That will never work!"

"Alright," Bill made a last try to whip away his starting mocking and took Kinski by his hand.

"Let's make a test."

He tugged the now-female rabbit and pushed him on the sidewalk next to the filled main street.

Kinski growled at him and stamped his foot on the wooden floor.

"This is dumb! It'll never work."

"Good day, Madame," a man said in passing and lifted his hat politely. Then he walked on.

Kinski stood there like a drowned rat

"It'll never work," Stump parroted mockingly.

Bill grinned with satisfaction. "Let's put it into practice."

* * *

Carefully the Gila monster peeked around a corner where he could see the back door of the wellness club.

"Alright. Nobody outside."

"Uh, Bill?"

The big lizard sighed angrily. "Yeeeessss?"

"What if he recognizes me?"

Kinski was close to run in the opposite direction.

The Gila monster rubbed over his face with annoyance. "I thought we had talked about it enough. Come on now!"

With that, he grabbed the dress-rabbit and pushed him to the house.

"Shouldn't I take out a life assurance… or a dentures policy at least?"

But all arguments and protest were useless. Bill showed no mercy and Kinski stood alone in front of the back door.

He looked back for a last time, but Bill just waved ahead. "Time doesn't stop. Hurry up!"

With a deep, deep sigh, the rabbit in dress lifted his trembling hand.

"For England, Bond said."

With that he knocked against the wood.

Heavy footsteps came toward the door. The others took shelter around a corner of a house and watched how the door began to move.

Stump held his hands above his mouth when the face of the wolf appeared.

At this moment the wolf lifted his fist.

Kinski in woman dress pressed his eyes together.

"There you are at last!" the doorman cried. "The others are already finished!"

With a fast movement he grabbed the rabbit's arm and Kinski was pulled into the house. Shortly after the door closed with a loud slam.

The following silence made every one of the three remaining men speechless.

"Maybe we should change our job to makeup artist," Stump suggested.

* * *

Kinski didn't know what was going on around him. The wolf tugged him through wallpapered corridors over carpets.

"Don't be so prudish," the doorman grunted in front of him. "Mr. Daren hates delays. In with you!"

He opened another door and pushed the rabbit inside. Then he closed the door behind the rabbit again.

Kinski felt like in a dream. A bad-good dream. He was standing in a big dressing room for women. On the left wall stood mirrors and chairs. On the right site clothes and dresses in all colors.

At least he was alone. But he prayed to god that nobody would realize him. But his prayers were ignored when the door opened behind him and a familiar figure entered the room.

"Oh," the female fox said and waved her black handheld fan. "Are you the new one?"

Kinski's heart missed a beat. It was the same fox girl which had greeted them at the back door a while ago.

"Uh… I…" The rabbit cleaned his throat in despair. "Yes."

He didn't know how his voice sounded, but he tried to speak like a woman, or he thought that could be like a woman.

The vixen closed the door, but kept sight of him.

"Mm. You look familiar to me. Have we met before?"

"Maybe my sist… brother?"

He laughed nervously with high voice.

But the girl narrowed her eyes, so that he ducked his head.

Suddenly, without warning the girl kicked between his legs.

"OUTCH!" Kinski sank together.

With poisoned glance the fox girl looked down at him. "I knew it! You are a guy!"

She reached for the door handle. "We don't need dirty stalkers like you. I will tell to Ralf!"

She opened the door and shouted. "RALF!"

"No!" Kinski cried with pressed voice. "I'm not a stalker, I'm not a … I'm nothing…. I mean… that's… they put it on against my will…" He wrapped his hands around her feet. "For a disguise, not in bad faith. I- I – I'm working undercover."

"Undercover?" She snorted. "Don't tell me lies."

"No! It's true."

If the doorman got ahold of him, he could land in hospital.

"I'm looking for a missing person, and I need information about a man who had kidnapped him. For this reason, I have to ask some questions to Black Mary. And we have just time until midnight."

She tried to kick him away.

"Who told you?"

"Clark."

"What's going on here?"

The deep voice of Ralf, the doorman, let Kinski froze his blood. The girl was going to open her mouth, but she hesitated in last second.

"Uh, I only wanted to give you this."

She reached for a flower and gave it to him.

"For your good work."

He snorted and walked away.

"Women's things," he muttered with grim voice.

The female Kinski looked up at her. "Why?"

"I've never heard such a story. I was wondering what you wanted with your fellas outside. And by the way…"

She bent down to him. "Clark is a stupid thief, but a loveable one. And I think he told something about a Gila monster in his past. How should I know that it was your… Is "friend" the right word?"

"Comrade, more,… don't kn… uh… boss comrade, buddy… something between."

"Alright."

She gave him her hand and helped him to stand up.

"If you are from Clark, that's something different."

Kinski cleaned his dress.

"And you want to speak Blacky Mary?"

"Is she here?"

"She has her own room. I will lead you."

They left the big dressing room and went few doors more.

"Wait a minute."

She knocked. A female adult voice replied. "Who's there?"

"It's me - Roxy."

"Come in."

The vixen gave Kinski a waiting gesture and disappeared into the room after closing the door again quickly.

Voices whispered to each other. Suddenly a woman laughed loudly.

"Let him come in."

The door opened again and Roxy waved inside. "She awaits you. And excuse me, I have to refresh myself."

She walked away.

For a moment, the rabbit in dress didn't know how to behave. He had met ladies in the past, but not with himself in a dress.

After some inner struggling, he knocked gently against the door and opened it a tiny crack. The room was dark, just a light shined over the big mirror. But the chair was empty.

Carefully, he entered and closed the door behind. The room bore analogy to the big dressing room, but it was smaller.

He craned his neck and made one step forward.

"Before you come closer," a female voice let him freeze. "Tell me your name."

The rabbit looked around in confusion. His glance stuck on the folding screen where he guessed that the voice came from that direction.

"Uh, Kinski."

A shadow moved and came out of its hiding.

"Pleased to meet you."

Kinski opened his eyes wider.

The woman was thin and elegant proportions. It was a mammal with jet black fur and yellow eyes. Her chin-length hair was black like her fur and pinned-up. She wore a shiny purple-red robe where he could see some tracks of a dark red bikini under it. Her face was unmade-up, but it was beautiful enough to let him open his mouth.

"Uh, and… you… are Black Mary?" he started after a while of silence.

"And you are the one who is investigating a kidnapping case?"

"Temporary," he added.

"How cute."

She smiled and came closer. Kinski's eyes wandered down to her legs, which became visible with every step under her robe.

The rabbit rubbed his neck nervously.

"Don't be afraid," she said gently. "I don't bite."

She gave him a smirk and went over to the chair of the mirror.

Now Kinski had a little view of her back and swallowed.

"You are a skunk?"

Blacky Mary sighed. "You're not the first man who said that in such a tone."

"I'm sorry, Madame."

Kinski wiped over his head and came closer.

"It's just… I…"

"I know what you're thinking," she interrupted his stuttering and reached for a lipstick. "People who don't know me, know nothing about my real personality."

She lifted her right leg. Kinski swallowed again. Her black fur was a perfect beauty.

"You don't know how much time and money I gave to create my body so that he looks like it is today."

She lowered her leg again.

"Even my scent glands I let cut away."

Kinski stared down at her. If he hadn't seen her back, he would think she was a cat.

"But beauty knows no pain."

She sighed again.

"I didn't feel pain while my operations."

She averted her eyes from the mirror and gave him a gentle smile.

"But let's drop the subject. I heard you wanted to know something."

Kinski shook his head wildly, in hope to get a clear mind again. "Uh, yes, yes. Clark said, yes, I…"

"Take a seat. Kinski."

He blushed under his fur and was lucky that she didn't see it. Rashly he sat down on a chair next to her and bent forward with folded hands. "Well, I… I don't know what exactly, but do you know something about a man, who told you something about a chameleon, or a kidnapped person?"

She raised her finger and rubbed her chin. The rabbit watched her movements with fast heartbeat.

"Well, not really, but I could know someone, what could give you a hint."

She crossed her legs.

"Ere yesterday, there was an old lynx with me. He isn't a regular guest, but I know him. While our dialog, he told something about that he is going to spend more time with me, and that he would give me a lot of gifts if I focus my attention on him for a long time. After a while he revealed to me that he would earn enough money with a blackmail. But that was all what I could educe from him. But…"

She made a little break.

"I don't think that it had been his own idea. He never did a criminal job alone. I guess, that somebody gave him orders, but I'm sure he would never admit."

The rabbit bent more forward.

"And his name?"

She took a deep breath. "Jeanny Thomson."

"Where can we find him?"

"Sorry, I don't know." She reached for nail enamel. "But he isn't an unknown guy. Ask some people on the street, they can tell you where you can find him."

Kinski wished he could stay, but this sentence gave him order to stand up.

"You gave us a great help, thank you very much."

He bowed. She nodded back.

The rabbit turned around, but before he reached the door, he heard how she was sitting up.

"Let me guide you to the door."

Her hand in his hand felt so warm.

But before they reached the door, she put her hands on his arms.

Kinski held his breath when she sniffed with closed eyes.

"Mm, _Nuit d'amour_. You seemed to know what men want."

She bent forward and pressed her lips on his. The gunslinger didn't know what happened. He felt numb and like on fire when she moved her lips and mouth.

Finally, she leaned back again.

Her lips were red a little because of his lipstick. She smiled cutely.

"That's the first time in my life that I kiss a man in dress."

She made some distance between him and herself.

"That's my way of saying, goodbye. And if you need a shoulder to cry on…"

She massaged his hands.

"You know where you can find me."

With that she released him completely and walked back to the mirror. She sat down and gave the impression as if he didn't exist anymore.

Silently Kinski reached for the door handle and stumbled backwards outside. After he had closed the door, he stood in the corridor like after a deep dream.

"What a woman."

He leaned against the door.

"Excuse me, who are… are you the one for what I'm searching for?"

He winced heavily when a shadow appeared next to him like from nothing. A rabbit in middle age, dark green jacket and combed head hair. Without interruption, he babbled to Kinski, who stood there like a stone.

"Are you new here? Never mind. Come on. Get ready, the first reservations for this afternoon are coming! Don't be so coy. Come on… uh… I forgot your… What's your name?"

Finally, the rabbit found a way to his mouth again.

"Kin-sk- uh- i-a."

"Never heard that name… Anyway! Go to work. I don't pay you for to act as a model. Hurry up! Hey! Hey."

Mr. Daren's attention drifted to two ladies who had a chat.

"You can patter later with your sister. Go to work. That's a decent bordel!"

Kinski took the chance and opened the next door. He had to hide somewhere until that pushy guy was gone. After he had closed the door, he sighed in relief. He turned around and – froze with wide open shocked eyes.

In the room stood a bed. And in the bed lay a man.

A naked man – he guessed. A blanket covered the under region of his body. It was a thin rodent with gelled black hair and a little black mustache. At this moment he reached for a glass of champagne on the little table beside the bed.

With an amused glance he eyed Kinskia – alias Kinski in lady outfit.

"Oh, what a nice service."

He smirked at the rabbit with a gleeful smile.

Kinski blushed so deep under his fur, that his face would be red like a tomato if someone shaved him. The rabbit's eyes grew bigger when the man was swinging his legs over the edge of the bed.

At least he kept the blanket around his hips. He took the full wine glass and waved it in his direction.

"Well then, how should we start our little romance?"

Kinski thought to live in a nightmare. Step by step the man came closer with a soft swing of his hips at him.

"I - I'm still in training," Kinski said hoarsely with his last female sounding voice what he could bring over his lips. The man smelled heavily of perfume that he got headaches. What was that for an expensive stuff?

"But sunshine. It doesn't take training for that."

He sniffed. "Hmm, _Nuit d'amour_. You really know what men want."

His shoulder almost touched Kinskia's shoulder.

"But if you need some lesson," he bent more forward so that his head was near his ear. "Maybe I could be your teacher, darling."

The last words echoed through Kinski(a)'s head like in empty space. His eyes shot into a direction, which guided him the last way of escaping – the window.

* * *

"Why does he take so long?" Stump muttered and eyed the pocket watch what Kinski had left in his clothes.

"Don't kill my nerves," Bill growled who leaned against the house wall of the wellness club.

"Calm down, boys," Chorizo tried. "I'm sure he will be here in the next moment."

Suddenly the sound of splintering glass crashed the air, not far away, followed by a loud thud.

Shortly after that a red-black figure passed them like haunted by thousand rattlesnakes and rushed around the next corner.

With wide surprised eyes, they looked at the direction where the figure had disappeared.

"What was that?" Stump asked in confusion.

"Mm, I would say," Bill began. "A flying rabbit, which looked very familiar to me."


	10. Almost at the finish

"You've been bathing for 10 minutes."

A difficult to understand muttering sounded behind the wood wall of the shower cabinet.

Stump, Chorizo and Bill were waiting that their companion Kinski would finish his washing process. With great difficulty they had managed to calm him down, after they had caught him up on his escape race. When he had talked about his experience in the wellness club, the others burst out in a guffaw.

With red head the still-in-dress rabbit made his way to the next shower house. It was a luck for him that he could walk into the men's shower cabinet with no other man inside.

Quickly he removed the dress and wig, and jumped behind the shower screen where he soaped himself hearty from top to bottom.

"How long do you intend to rub your hair?" Stump asked. "I thought, you said, he didn't touch you…"

A wet, angry face looked out from the shower.

"Call it what you will," Kinski growled. "It made me wanna – PUKE!"

The face disappeared quickly; the shower started again, closely followed by a loud burble.

"You should feel flattered for that," Chorizo smirked and a gush of water sloshed on his hat.

"Do me the sincere favor and never speak it out again," a warning voice threatened.

Bill had a derision on his lips, but he preferred to keep silent.

At last, a hand reached for a big towel which hung next to the cabinet and wrapped up a drenched rabbit. With clicks under his feet, Kinski left the shower cabinet and rubbed his fur wildly like after coming out of a virus contaminated area.

"I will never wear female clothes again," he grunted.

Finally, he took off the towel and glared at Stump with venomous look. "NEVER AGAIN!"

He pushed him away and made his way to his familiar man street clothes.

"Alright," Bill ended his protest. "At least we have a name."

"Indeed," Stump said and rubbed his hurting back. "But where should we find him? And do you think he is the mastermind?"

"I don't think so," Kinski's muffled voice sounded when he was putting on his pullover. "Blacky Mary said, that he never made a criminal job alone. Possible that he is just a confidant or an accessory."

"Well, better than nothing," Bill closed and went to the exit.

"Where do you want to go?" Stump asked.

The Gila monster reached for the door. "Asking someone who knows a lot of people in this town."

* * *

The saloon was much fuller than he had been in the noon. Now it was in the afternoon. A hurry-up-moment how Kinski it called.

Bill walked between the overfilled tables and watched out for a special person.

"Hey, tall fellow," a female voice cried at him.

A saloon lady beckoned him over who sat on a lap of a man and Bill came closer.

"If you are looking for your friend," the lady continued. "He is absent."

"Where?"

The girl chuckled. "There where he spent the most time of his life."

* * *

"Of course, where else."

With crossed arms, the Gila monster eyed the jail building of Primrose Town. It was bigger than the sheriff office in Dirt.

"Uh, what now Bill?" Stump asked and fanned himself with his hat.

"We could ask whether we could pay a visit," Chorizo muttered.

"Are you out of your mind?!"

Bill slapped over his forehead.

"You forget our wanted posters which decorate many sheriff walls. They will lock us up immediately."

Kinski agreed. "Yeh, so stupid like a dog would walk into the house of the dog catcher."

Bill waved his hand. "No, we have to take another way, without landing behind bars."

"Oh, and where is that auspicious place?" Stump asked.

The lizard snorted and went aside. "There is always a place to get some fresh air. Even in a jail."

Carefully and on tiptoes they sneaked along the house wall until they reached the first barred window of a jail cell in the back yard.

Bill peeked in and cried quietly inside. "Clark?"

A snorting sound replied. "Wh-at – what is… is that you m-mother?"

"Oh, pardon."

Bill went on, after he just saw a drunken bird who was sleeping off.

The second cell was empty. But in cell three…

"Clark? Hey!"

The old lizard, who was laying on a bench in the jail cell, sat up and leaned against the wall with a smile.

"Oh, oh, hi, Billy, little dodger."

"What sort of things are you doing?" Bill asked through the bars.

"Oh, I wanted to borrow a new hat. But we couldn't agree with the costlession. Well."

He lay down again, his hands crossed on the back of his head.

"Never mind. I will make vacation in this house for a few days. But don't mind. At least I have a roof over my head and it helps me to come away from my rum problem."

He chuckled hoarsely.

Bill shrugged his shoulders. "No problem. We just came to ask you for something."

"Every time. So shoot."

"Do you know a name Jeanny Thomson?"

"Jeanny? Thomson? Jean, Jeff, Jeanna, Jenno, Jeo, Jenna, Jeanny… Tom… Thomso, Thomsen, Thomson… aha… Not the friendliest guy. Not a bad fellow, but very capricious. And dumb as a sack of hammers."

He smirked.

"And, do you know where he is living?"

"Mm, in a small Hicksville, not far away from Primrose Town. Rio Seco."

"Thanks buddy."

"Hey, no probs."

Bill leaned back and was going to walk away. "Good luck for a new hat."

Clark waved his hand thankfully. But suddenly he lifted his head and sniffed.

"Hey, is a lady with you? It smells so good. Is that _Nuit d'amour_?"

Kinski sniffed on his shirt and gave the grinning Stump a slap in the face.

* * *

"I really wonder what the green lizard will say about our work," Chorizo cried against the wind.

They had already left the city and rode through the desert.

"Yeah, it was so easy," Stump agreed.

"You haven't the faintest idea," Kinski grunted darkly.

"It must be over there!" Bill pointed ahead where a group of houses were visible.

"Now we will find out more."

"I can't wait," Stump said with excitement.

The four gunslingers rode closer. Shortly before the town they decrease the pace.

"Hey, do you hear that?"

Kinski pricked up his ears.

"What should we hear?" Stump asked in surprise.

"Listen."

They stopped their roadrunners and listened carefully.

First, there has been just the sound of the wind, but then… Regular drumbeats echoed through the air.

Their glances drifted to the little town.

Bill gave them a sign and together they rode between two houses and came to the main street.

Their guess was confirmed.

On the street walked a little funeral cortege. Right at the front played someone a big drum. Some people in dark clothes followed him. Four men carried a coffin.

Bill and his friends let them pass and took off their hats respectfully.

"Pitiful," Stump muttered and hoped never to come in a coffin very soon.

"Don't care."

Bill climbed down. The others followed his example.

They took the reins and looked around.

Bill discovered an old man, who leaned with his elbows on a railing of a terrace and puffed a pipe.

"Excuse me, where can we find Jeanny Thomson?"

The old man pulled his pipe and looked at the four men in surprise and empty look.

"They are carrying him away at this moment."

With the pipe he pointed at the funeral cortege.

In disbelief the gunslingers looked at the walking away people.

"Conflict in the saloon," the old man said. "He hadn't been fast enough. Well, he wasn't the brightest button that ever shone. Now, they knocked out his light forever."

With that, he turned away and didn't pay more attention to the speechless men who gazed after the carrying away coffin, which left the town more and more.


	11. Holmes's cigar

"For dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."

Bill didn't listen. His eyes were only fixed on the coffin which lay in an excavated pothole. He really wished he could open it to give that bastard a slap because of his chutzpah of doing his last exist too soon.

Now, of all the times. Why now? Why?

His friends seemed to think the same and looked how the visitors threw a handful earth or dried flowers in the still open grave one by one.

The participation of the funeral guests wasn't big. Maybe members of the family. He hadn't seemed to have many friends.

Bill drifted his eyes and watched the people. There were not many tears. Just a little sadness lay in the air.

For a moment he thought about what people would say if he lay in a coffin one day.

He narrowed his eyes again if he thought about the sheriff.

His thoughts were interrupted when one of the next to them standing funeral guest lifted his nose and sniffed. The man turned around and eyed the strangers in surprise.

"Is that women's perfume?"

* * *

It was quiet around them. Very quiet. The roadrunners rode slowly. The four gunslingers felt exhausted. For the rest of the day, they had spent asking people about Jeanny Thomson's milieu, but nobody knew something about his activities and some people in the little town were so drunk, that they couldn't give a disclosure. It was like the trace would end in smoke. Without success, they came back together to their roadrunners. It wasn't easy for the Gila monster to speak that they should ride back to Primrose Town.

Kinski took out his pocket watch and looked the time. It was late. Just a few hours until midnight. Very late.

Bill heard how he opened the time counter and gave him a hissing sound.

Quickly the rabbit let the watch disappear in his shirt.

It was a heavy atmosphere. The nightfall started.

Finally, Stump couldn't hold back a comment.

"If Sherlock Holmes was here, he would smoke a pipe or playing violin."

Suddenly Bill pulled the reins and stopped. "Could you stop with that stupid stuff?! I can't hear that anymore!"

The others stopped their roadrunners too. Stump crossed his arms. "Excuse me, that I want to bring forth our investigations."

"They are no investigations! Didn't you understand it?"

"Hey, don't vent your fretfulness on us!" Kinski defended. "We are all disappointed. Everything, including my victimized pride, for nothing!"

He was still angry that he had dressed as a girl without the wished success.

Silence fell. But it was a taut silence.

Chorizo took the courage and cleaned his throat. "I had never thought that it would be so difficult being a detective."

He swallowed the next words down, when Bill's cold eyes met him. The mouse ducked his head and waved his hand in an apologizing way.

When Bill was going to continue riding, Kinski was unwilling to allow that to the rest.

"Hey! What's going on with you?"

"What do you care?" Bill hissed back. "I want to reach that town before night falls."

Kinski quickened his roadrunner and came to a hold next to Bill, and grabbed his arm.

"I don't take your bad mood! I'm angry enough about your madcap idea to put me on that drag!"

Stump and Chorizo watched them with tensed hands. It wasn't good if Bill and Kinski fell together by the ears.

"Hey, guys," Chorizo tried to save. "We all gave our best."

Bill growled. "And why didn't it work?"

With that the Gila monster climbed down, picked up a stone and threw it away as far as he could.

Kinski left his roadrunner too, went over to him and put his hands in his pant pockets.

"Who cares? Yes, yes, it's annoying. Everything is annoying. But see it from the positive side. He will never badger us again."

At this moment Bill turned around.

"BUT NOT THIS WAY!" he screamed.

The rabbit sighed angrily. "Are you just angry that somebody else kills him instead by you?"

"Let me alone!"

Again Bill avoided his glance, but Kinski didn't want to stick to his guns and went behind the Gila monster.

"Why? Why is that so damn important for you?! Then it is how it is. He is gone. And had been gone either way. If a hawk had killed him, it wouldn't itch you."

"But not in this case!"

"Why not? Tell me why!"

"Because I wanted to prove that I have a better goddamn aptitude of combination than him!"

His three friends stared at him. Remembering the situation in the canyon a few days ago.

Meanwhile Bill had sunk back into a quiet tone. "I wanted to look in his gormless visage if he admits that truth."

He turned away in anger and kicked against a stone.

"So much for I can't investigate. Sleazebag."

He went away. Few meters more he sat down on a rock and stared nowhere.

Silently they watched their leader.

Meanwhile Stump and Chorizo had descended from their roadrunners and joined Kinski. The rabbit took out his watch and opened it. It was almost eight o'clock.

Then he put it away and together they came closer slowly.

Bill didn't pay attention to them and reached into his pocket and took out a cigar.

He felt Kinski's eyes.

"Don't say anything. Sod it."

Nobody said a word when he lighted a matchstick and torched the cigar. Following he took a big puff.

He listened how Kinski let down himself next to him on another rock which lay close to him.

Stump and Chorizo made the same and soon they sat next to each other.

Bill took several puffs in succession, then he handed it to Kinski.

Kinski eyed the smoldering stick, then he shrugged his shoulders.

"The heck with it."

He took the cigar and took a puff.

Then he peered over to Stump and held it out to him. The second rabbit sighed and dragged.

Shortly after he coughed slightly.

"You were too greedy for it, weren't you?" Chorizo joked and took the cigar now.

When he had finished blowing the smoke, he reached it back to Bill, who continued puffing. Nobody said a word.

Together they watched the sunset where the sun disappeared more and more behind the horizon.

Just Stump rubbed his throat and swore it would be the last cigar in his life.

* * *

**The end?**


	12. Room of oblivion

It was loud in Primrose Town. But Bill and the others didn't pay much attention for the full lighted city in the night. The stores had closed, but now the most people were in the saloons, hotels and clubs. Usually the four gunslingers had gotten involved in that nightlife. But tonight, they were relatively quiet. Even not the fantastic piano music couldn't cheer them up which pervaded through the air outside to them. Slowly they made their way through the busy night street until they reached the main entrance of the wellness club. Kinski stopped his roadrunner and climbed down.

"What is it?" Stump asked with surprise.

"Well, I think, I should tell Blacky Mary, that Jeanny Thomson will never make a gift to her."

"Should I bring you your costume?" Stump chuckled.

Kinski gave him a venomous look, but he was too tired to bring forward an argument.

"I will go through the main door. If you want to stay here, then stay there."

With raised nose, he walked away.

Bill and the others followed him with their eyes until Bill waved his hand.

"I could need a strong drink now."

They leaded their roadrunners to a freestanding place and tied them up. Then they went the way which Kinski had gone, who was waiting for them because he had guessed that they would come after him.

Together they went to the main entrance where a big blackboard stood for bargain offers, drinks and other services.

They opened two glass swing doors and entered a big vestibule with big carpets. A man in a black tuxedo stood behind a little table and nodded at them politely.

But before the four friends could walk on, a concierge called them back.

"Gentlemen."

They looked at a slim rat who observed the checkroom and waved his hand.

"Your weapons."

With sighs, they obeyed and put their guns in a box.

"Ehem…," the rat cleaned his throat. "Knifes, too."

After Bill had actioned the request, they got the permission to enter.

They came to the main entertainment room, which had some similarities with a saloon. Over the whole room stood little tables and chairs, but with white tablecloths. Ladies were dancing on a stage and some other ladies sat on the laps of some men and monkeyed around.

Kinski looked around until he found a familiar face.

"Huhu," a female voice cried after she had realized him. "I wasn't expecting you so soon again."

The vixen fluttered a kiss on the rabbit's cheeks.

Kinski blushed under his fur until he turned around to his surprised friends.

"Uh… that's Foxy… uh… Roxy," Kinski stuttered, pointing at her.

She laughed. "You are a funny one."

Quickly Kinski shook his head. "Uh, is Blacky Mary here?"

"Why do you want to know?" she asked.

"I have to tell her something… not what you think… it's just… she will know what I mean… I mean…"

"Mm, she is busy at the moment," the fox girl said. "But I will tell her that you are here. In the meantime, you can amuse here."

With that, she walked away, but without to forget to wave at them.

"Nice girl," Stump said.

"Yes, she is," Kinski muttered and cleaned his throat immediately again.

"Alright," Bill said with a monotone voice. "Let's go to the counter."

He pointed at a long bar which seemed to have a wide choice of drinks.

"Take a drink," Kinski said and made some steps backwards. "I will take a sauna session to get remove that reek."

Stump chuckled. "I thought you like the smell of girls."

Snarlingly, Kinski left them.

* * *

With a big towel around his waist the rabbit left the changing cubicle and went his way to the sauna room. He entered a big wooden room with a block of benches. Dense water vapor lay in the air. The room wasn't full and Kinski sat down on a bench where he could be for himself. He stretched his elbows, leaned himself back, closed his eyes and tried to forget everything. He breathed in the hot air. For a while he had still the bad feeling in his stomach after that disappointed day, but with every minute he felt more and more relaxed.

"Hey, you look familiar to me."

The rabbit opened his eyes wide with horror.

That voice…

"Yes, you."

With disbelief, he looked at the rodent man whom he had met naked in the room in his women costume in the afternoon. Now he sat not far away from him, again a towel around his hips.

"Does that guy never wear clothes?" Kinski thought.

Suddenly the rodent stood up. He went over and sat down next to him.

Kinski thought to vomit every moment when he smelt the strong men's perfume again.

"Did we meet before?"

Kinski swallowed heavily.

"Maybe… you met… my sister," he replied with hoarse voice.

The rodent narrowed his eyes skeptically and took a closer look.

"Mm…. Oh! Yes, what a striking similarity."

He laughed.

"The similar hair, the similar eyes."

Kinski held his breath when the man was inhaling.

"And the same smell."

He gave him a gentle push and smiled at him with glee.

"Hey, your sister is a really hot thing. A little bit too shy, but a hottie."

Kinski blushed deeply under his fur while the rodent man continued.

"Could you be a friend and give me her telephone number? Oh, no, better her address!"

As fast as Kinski could he ran out of the sauna room. With big surprise, the rodent looked after him.

"Mm, shy like his sister. It must be run in the family."

* * *

Deep in thoughts, Chorizo stirred through his drink. Everyone was talking, but Bill, Stump and Chorizo constitute an exception. Silently they sat at the counter and stared into space.

It didn't go unnoticed and some people thought they were lovesick.

The barkeeper bent over to them. "You're looking like you need something encouragement."

With these words he poured in his "encouragement" into three little glasses.

Bill eyed the red-green-yellow drink and drank it out with a callous gesture. Then he put it on the table and continued staring.

"All because of a damn letter," he muttered.

At this moment Stump realized Kinski's fast footsteps behind.

"How was it?" he asked.

But instead of an answer, Kinski gave him a push and finally a hard push against the Gila monster.

"That's all your fault!" he growled. "Because of you, I can go nowhere without having similarity with my sister."

Chorizo rubbed his forehead with confusion. "I didn't know that you have a sister."

Kinski didn't reply. With a very deep sigh, he sat down on a barstool and ordered: "A double vodka with a large portion maleness."

The barkeeper had no idea what the rabbit meant and added a dash of absinthe.

"Oh, here you are."

The four men were flabbergasted when they were surrounded by four ladies. One of them was Roxy.

"Hey, I think the bad boys need a little encouragement."

Kinski winced when a young rabbit lady sniffed at him.

"Uh… is that…"

"No!" Kinski screamed and jumped up. "I'm a MAN!"

It was quiet in the room. Even the music was gone.

Everyone looked over to the rabbit who stood there like frozen.

Suddenly a loud cheer floated through the tables. Everyone raised his glass and waved at Kinski. Some others clapped their hands. The music continued.

Sobered, Kinski sat down again.

"Wow," the rabbit girl said. "I like men with a steadfast opinion."

She reached out her hand to him. "I'm Linny."

Kinski ducked his head and nipped his glass.

Roxy took a seat next to him and stroke his arm. "This special smelling is explained very quickly."

She chuckled. "Sometimes he works undercover."

"Oh, like agents?"

The other ladies, a cat and a squirrel, were impressed.

"That sounds very exciting."

The squirrel walked behind Stump and massaged his shoulders.

"Oh, please, tell us something."

"Yes, tell us," Linny begged.

Stump didn't know what to say, but then he took his glass and sat as straight as a pole on the barstool.

"Well, well," he began masterly. "Sat down and I will tell you, little child."

With a swinging movement the squirrel sat down on Stump's lap and put an arm on his shoulders.

"The first thing what you have to do is to watch out for details."

Bill sighed and covered his face with his hand.

"What about you, bad boy?"

But Bill pushed Linny away. He was in no mood for flirting with a girl.

"You look better without your dress, bunny boy"

All turned around and looked at the smiling face of Blacky Mary.

Even Bill was impressed. Especially about her short red-black dress which emphasized her figure and her free long black legs.

"Is this the one which you met in her private room?" Chorizo's voice was hoarse.

Kinski swallowed, but he found back his self-control immediately and waved his hand.

"Hi."

Blacky Mary smiled. "So, and these are your friends? Girls, don't harass them too much."

With grumble the four ladies kept a little bit more distance of the gunslingers.

Meanwhile, Mary had positioned herself between Kinski and Chorizo and leaned with her back against the counter. She gave Chorizo a gentle smile, the mouse smiled back, with big confusion, then she paid attention at Kinski.

"So, Roxy said, you want to talk with me. About what?"

Kinski's joviality disappeared from his face. Politely he stood up and pointed at the barstool.

"Take a seat."

* * *

Silently the skunk lady listened to Kinski's story. After a while she lowered her glance.

Kinski ordered a Bloody Mary and handed it to her.

She nodded thankfully and took a sip.

"I had guessed that something like this could happen, but not so fast."

"He got a nice funeral," the rabbit consoled her.

She smiled sadly.

"Well, he wasn't a bad lover, but not the friendliest man."

She whipped over her hair. "Never mind. Things happen. What about your work?"

At this moment the sigh of the Gila monster sounded next to them.

"Your friend seems to be depressed," Mary commented while looking at Bill.

"It was a failure," Kinski said.

"Oh, I'm sorry for this. Can I do something for you?"

"Not more than before. Could we get a place where we can forget it?"

Blacky Mary furrowed her brows. "Something special?"

Kinski forced a smile. "You don't need to give us a service, know what I mean."

"Something to eat, drink and a massage? Would that be okay?"

* * *

"There we are."

Together with Roxy, Linny and the two other girls, named Lilli and Cindy, Black Mary leaded the four men in a room, where a few mattresses lay on the floor.

"Make free yourself," the skunk lady said. "The girls will make the rest."

The girls chuckled. Bill snorted, but he felt a little amused. The others seemed to think the same, but they didn't waste much time and took off their shirts.

Meanwhile Blacky Mary had brought some bottles and glasses and put them on a table.

She smiled at the four men who were standing there with naked upper bodies.

"Lay down."

She pointed at the mattresses. One after another took a mattress and lay down on it. Then every girl took his pick. Lilly sat down on Bill's back, Roxy on Kinski, Cindy on Stump and Lilli on Chorizo.

Then they began their massages on their backs.

Blacky Mary poured alcohol in the glasses and distributed them for every gunslinger.

Bill enjoyed Lilly's movements of her hands. "Yes, there is my tension."

Kinski, who lay next to him, bent over at him.

"What's your plan, Bill?"

"About what?"

"For… next days?"

The Gila monster sighed deeply. "We will keep distance from the town until everything is over."

"And what if they get him out alive somehow? I couldn't stand it seeing him with half body just because of us."

"Then I will shoot him," Bill hissed at him. "Then it's over once and for all."

He took the glass which lay in front of him on the floor and emptied it.

The rabbit watched him sadly. Then he whispered at Mary: "Uh, just in case, if we should be pushy, you have the obligation to knock us out with a hit on our heads."

With that he thrust a coin into her hand.

She chuckled. Nobody knew that she had filled less alcohol into the bottles. The rest was made up with water. If you want to make someone drunkenly, let him believe he is drunken, was one of her wisdoms.

Meanwhile Stump had emptied his third glass. He wanted to fall in sleep before the watch rang midnight. And he really thought he was drunken and muttered words from time to time.

"Could you tell us something about your works?" Cindy asked and massaged the scapulas.

"Details?" Stump muttered. "Mm, yes, details. Well, details are the most important thing. Every little action could be a hint for a crime."

"Really?"

"That's a fact. There are many people who don't watch out for details. For example, like a postman who doesn't watch for his own post. If he hadn't slept, we would know who…"

He swallowed down the next words, when he realized the angry face of Bad Bill.

"Well, some people go through the life with closed eyes."

Cindy stopped a second. "Do you mean Mr. Walden?"

"Don't know."

Stump's words were lost in the glass.

"Well, he is an old desert cat, with white-gray fur, and wears glasses sometimes."

Stump nodded with emotionless mimic.

"Yes, that's the guy."

Cindy chuckled. "Uh, you aren't the only one who is confused about him. My aunt works at the post office. While she was counting the letters, she realized that one letter was without addressor. She was confused, but Mr. Walden the postman said, it would be okay. He would know about it."

"What?!"

Bill was sober at one blow.

"Could you repeat that?!"

Cindy looked at him with surprise.

"Uh, I said, that he would know about that peculiar letter. Of course, Mr. Walden is no spring chicken anymore, but that wasn't typical for…"

"When did it happen?!"

Bill's voice sounded so loud that everyone stared at him. But also Kinski, Stump and Chorizo had started to listen attentively.

Bill was still laying there with lifted upper body. "Tell me!"

Cindy thought about it. "Uh, well, it was… it was… mhm… two days ago. Yes, two days."

Kinski's eyes grew wide when Bill dug his nails in the mattress.

"Where is he living?" the lizard growled.

"Mr. Walden? In the east part of the town, next to the laundry with the flat roof, unmissable."

Suddenly Bill jumped up, opened the door and ran down the steps.

"Bill! Wait!"

But Bill was already gone.

As fast as they could, they took their shirts, Stump slammed some money on the mattress, including baksheesh, and ran after Bill.

With surprise the girls looked after them.

"Was that important?" Blacky Mary asked.

"You are the best one."

Kinski grabbed her arms and gave her a kiss before he left the room.

Mary stroked over her cheeks and chuckled. "I think they are on a mission again."


	13. Bad evening, Mister Postman

When the three gunslingers reached the lobby, Bill had already left the house. The Gila monster hadn't wasted time to regain his weapons. Quickly the three others took their guns and ran outside. But their leader was long gone. Quickly they made their way to the east town.

* * *

Like a fuming mad rhino Bill ran through the streets of Primrose Town. The street had filled with nightlife, couples in love, drunk people. But the Gila monster didn't seem to realize the environment what happened around him. Suddenly he slowed his speed, searching for the house where the postman was living. He had reached the laundry house, and next to it stood an old shabby house with a flat roof.

Bill firmed his fists, ready to ram the door, but at that moment…

"Bill, please, don't be upset. Calm down," he heard the voice of Stump, who had followed him.

The Gila monster turned around with a harsh movement.

"I AM CALM!"

The three men fell backwards on their bottoms, while Bill's scream still echoed through their ears.

"Have mercy!" Kinski cried and rubbed his hurting head.

"Bill, Bill! Please, I don't want to land in prison too soon!" Stump begged with folded hands.

"In prison?" Bill snorted. "I will stick that rat in prison as a corpse!"

Chorizo picked up his hat. "But they could arrest us because of riots and home invasion."

Bill breathed heavily in and out. He had big troubles to control his rage.

Finally, the three mammals dared to stand up safety and watched the grunting snorting lizard with tensed faces.

Kinski raised his hands and waved them up and down slowly while he came closer carefully. "Take a deep breath, buddy. Breathe deeply. Think about the prison, where we don't wanna go in."

With trembling arms, the lizard did and after one minute, he seemed to be more relaxed than before.

"Uh, Bill?"

"WHAT?!"

"Your shirt." Stump handed it over to him.

Now the Gila monster realized that he had run through the town in his pants only. Quickly he grabbed the white cloth and put it on.

Then they paid their attention back to the old house. It was more an old big hut and the windows had covered with old towels where some light shined through.

Kinski watched Bill with a worried glance.

"Alright, now we will knock on it, but don't smash…"

But too late. Bill kicked against the door and ripped it off its hinges.

He entered first, the others followed quickly.

First Bill wanted to scream a word of command, but his breath stopped in his throat.

The others looked over his shoulders.

Many, many afraid eyes stared at them. The four gunslingers stood in the door frame and eyed speechless the room where more than ten cat children sat around a big table.

At the top of the table sat a bigger cat, maybe their mother, and didn't dare to speak a word.

"Excuse me for my friend," Kinski said quickly and pushed Bill aside a little. "He's awful at doors. They are for him more a barrier than a private shielding."

"Yes, he is," Chorizo added and tried a smile.

"Is Mr. Walden at home?" Chorizo asked carefully, still in fear Bill could fall back in rage again.

Carefully the bigger cat stood up and went two steps aside to a second door. "Grandpa. Someone wants to talk with you."

Shortly after footsteps came closer. Bill's eyes narrowed in a dangerous way when the postman appeared. His face was lined with horror.

Chorizo's eyes grew bigger when he was seeing how Bill's fists tensed dangerously.

The mouse gave Kinski a warning sign, and the rabbit understood.

"Uh, can we… we have to have a little talkfest – outside."

* * *

With tensed postures the men went around the corner of the house where they found a lonely alley until they reached a yard.

Mr. Walden didn't dare to speak a word the whole time while he was pushed by them ahead.

But before someone could open his mouth, Bill grabbed the old cat, lifted him up and pressed him against a house wall.

"Give… give me one reason why I shouldn't split your damn brain in a thousand pieces!"

"Bill!"

Quickly Kinski and Chorizo jumped at him and held his arms. But the lizard didn't think about to release the old man.

"I- I don't understand," the postman stuttered. But that inflamed Bill's anger just more.

"You know exactly what I mean! DON'T CALL ME A FOOL!"

"No!"

"Bill! Calm down!"

The Gila monster had drawn his knife and was going to stab, but that became difficult when his friends grabbed his hands.

"If you kill him, we will never find out where he is!" Stump pleaded.

"We will bring him to speak, don't worry, he will speak! We can still punish him later."

Kinski's words made the lizard a little bit calmer.

"Breath in, breath in," Stump said.

"And give me that thing," Chorizo added and grabbed the knife.

Very slowly, the lizard released the sharp instrument.

Then he pulled the cat around and put him on the ground in the middle of the yard.

"Alright, just because of the time," he snorted through his nose. "I will not cut your throat."

Mr. Walden was pale.

"And now, tell me!" Bill firmed his grip. "Where is he?"

The old cat opened his trembling lips. "I-I've no-o idea…"

At this moment, the three men around him drew their guns and pressed them on the old cat's chest.

"One bullet for one more wrong answer!" Bill hissed threateningly. "Or worse, I will lose my sensitive self-control. One question, with one answer. We know everything."

"Yes, yes," Chorizo said. "You knew from the outset that you had a blackmailing letter in your bag."

Stump gave him with his gun a harder pressure. "That means you lied."

"And you knew where the letter came from," Kinski added before Bill would scream again.

But the lizard commanded himself yet. "And we want to know who give you the letter."

Mr. Walden cried hoarsely when Bill lifted him up again. "I hate liars!"

"B-but… I…"

"Deny and you will regret it bitterly!"

The postman gave a pleading look to the sky, then he wailed.

"I – I…. I had to do it. Otherwise, they had killed me."

Bill put him on his feet again and looked at him closely. "Who? Who is he?"

He hesitated.

"WHO?!"

The old cat swallowed heavily before he opened his trembling lips.

"A-Alister McNelly."

"Alister McNelly?" Stump asked with surprise. "The owner of the roadrunner ranch?"

"That old moneybag?" Kinski rubbed his forehead. "Why should he have an interest to kidnap someone for money?"

Bill took the cat closer. "If that is a bad joke of you…"

"No, no, no. It was he, or more one of his assistants. I know him. He was with him sometimes. And he threatened if I speak, he would…"

"Okay, okay, I can imagine," Bill cut him off. "I know his reputation. He hangs every roadrunner stealer on his land. Is that all or, did your old brain forget something else?"

"N-oo, that's all."

Bill added his pulling. "Would be the best for you. Otherwise, you will spend your pension as a doormat for my shoes!"

With that, he threw him on the ground. Usually Bill had thrashed him for pleasure, but this time, there was no time.

"McNelly's ranch is a few miles away. How long do you think do we need?"

Stump thought about it. "Maybe a quarter of an hour - if we are fast."

Bill's glance wandered to Kinski.

"How long until midnight?"

Kinski took out his watch and opened it. "We have still a half hour."


	14. Without doubt

Bill hated it to play for time. But this time, the time was against them.

As fast as they could, they rode through the dark desert.

"I had never thought that he would lie," Stump said against the wind.

"I will never trust a postman anymore," Kinski agreed.

"Don't babble," Bill cried at them. "Just ride."

"What do you think, are we doing the whole time?" Chorizo asked.

"Shut up. Ride."

"All for that stupid lizard, which can't take care for itself."

"We can discuss about that later! - Stop!"

Bill made a sharp braking so that the others had almost ridden against him.

"That's it."

Kinski, Stump and Chorizo craned their necks.

A flat area with many fences surrounded stretched for miles in front of them.

Suddenly Kinski grabbed Bill's arm.

"What?"

But Kinski said nothing and pointed ahead to the left side.

The Gila monster followed his pointer, where a shadow swung gently in the wind on a tree. Silently they stared at the decomposed corpse of the mortal remains of a roadrunner stealer.

Around his neck hung a wooden sign. "Roadrunner stealer be warned."

"Nice welcoming," Stump said and was going to turn around. But Bill grabbed the reins and pulled him back.

"We don't have to go through the bird-filled pasturage."

"Why so?"

Bill pressed a finger on Kinski's cheek and moved his face to the right side, where a big white countryside villa lay not far away at the foot of the hill.

"Nice-looking cottage," Chorizo commented.

"Do you think our little friend could be there?"

"There is just one way to find out."

With that Bill climbed down from his roadrunner. The others followed his example. Bill controlled the area with his tongue, then he waved his hand that they should follow him. Together they walked down the hill closer and closer to the white house. It was a really big house with white wooden walls, white curtains in the windows and a big terrace. Around the house grew some junipers, decorative cactuses and nice ornamented ways with little stones. All in all, everything didn't give the impression that a blackmailer would hold someone captive.

They have been just few meters away when Stump surrendered his bad feeling.

"Bill?" he whispered from behind. "Do you really think we should risk that?"

Before Bill could retort, Chorizo shared his worries. "McNelly hates guys like us. He is his own judge…"

"And hangman," Stump added with a hoarse voice.

"What are you?!" the lizard hissed. "Scaredy-cats, or what?"

"And what if we are wrong and Mr. Postman didn't tell the truth?" Kinski added for consideration. "Never trust a postman, became one of my life wisdoms."

All three men froze when Bill started a hissing growl. "He should never dare that."

Stump took his hat and waved it over his head. "True that - but what _if_ – just in case. I don't want to risk my neck for nothing."

"I thought, we're agreed," Bill growled. "I don't wanna go back after that dirty work we did."

"More what I made for a dirty work," Kinski muttered.

"Come on."

Without listening Bill sneaked up on the villa until he reached the house wall and pressed himself against it. The others watched him, then they walked ahead. After they had lined up behind their leader, they listened, but everything kept quiet.

"Alright, very slow," Bill whispered and lurked along the house. There was no light in the windows. Was its owner in bed?

Bill was so busy to watch the windows, that he had almost overseen a dark obstacle.

"Watch out!" Kinski hissed and managed to grab the Gila monster before it could hit it.

"What's that?" Stump asked in a whispering sound.

Carefully, Bill touched the dark thing what was the half-size of him.

"Just a garbage can."

The three sighed with relief. But Bill didn't want to waste more time.

One after another passed the can, until Chorizo touched something which looked out of the garbage. Carefully, he opened the barrel and pulled it out.

"Hey, Bill! Look."

They turned around. Chorizo held up a jacket and a jeans. The Gila monster flicked his tongue over them and caught a very familiar smell.

His friends watched him curiously.

"Is it…"

"Him? Yes, without doubt."

Stump clapped with his hands. "That means, we are on the right place."

"Another life wisdom which comes true," Kinski muttered.

"What kind of life wisdom?" Stump asked.

"Look through someone's rubbish and you will find out what kind of person he is."

"Sherlock Holmes?"

"Nope. Garfield."

"Nice," Chorizo said and rolled the clothes together. "But how should we come in the house?"

Bill threw his hands over his head. "Damn! What happened to us?! We robbed banks, ranches, mugged many people in the last few years, and we are riddling about how we should come in a simple house? We are outlaws. Did you forget?"

They exchanged glances. "Oh, yes, we are."

"And what's your order?" Kinski asked.

Bill pointed to the side. "We go through the back door through the kitchen."

* * *

"I can just hope that no alarm system is installed here."

Bill gave Stump a little clap on the back of his head, while he tried to open the kitchen door with a picklock.

The hands of the rabbit trembled a little, but he tried to keep his concentration.

Shortly after, a soft click let the door latch snapping open.

Slowly Stump took the false key away.

"Who wants to do the honor?"

With a deep sight, Kinski put his hand on the door handle and pushed it down carefully.

The others held their breaths, always ready for a run.

Gently the rabbit gave the door a little, little push.

"Open."

After he had opened the door completely, they sighed deeply.

"No alarm system. That McNelly seemed to be very sure that nobody would break in his house."

"Whatever," Bill said and peered inside the dark kitchen. But before he made one step forward, he pulled Chorizo and pushed him into the door frame.

"Check the area."

"Why me?"

"Do it!"

"Oh, damn."

Chorizo wasn't an anxious person, but that unknown kitchen room gave him the memory of a horror movie, where every moment could jump out a monster doll.

With a deep breath, he made two quiet steps forwards, then he stopped and listened.

Everything kept quiet.

A little bit braver, he made more steps and few steps more, until he disappeared in the darkness.

The others craned their necks.

"Uh, are you still okay?" Stump asked carefully.

"Oh my god!"

"What?!"

As fast as they could, they drew their guns and stood in the middle of the dark room.

"What happened?!"

"Cheesecake with chili!"

They froze with their revolver in their hands, which were directed on a munching mouse.

"Tastes good. Do you want a taste?"

"You damn…!"

Bill ran at him and was going to give him a slap, but Chorizo held the cake over his head warningly. "Billy, remember, that's not our house. We mustn't make much noise."

With a loud hissing, the Gila monster lowered his fists. "Alright. But just this time. Come on."

He passed the mouse which swallowed down a full mouth. Until Kinski gave him an angry look and he put the cake away with a heavy heart.

In single file they went through the kitchen.

"It's still a mystery for me why he kidnapped a lousy sheriff," Kinski muttered more to himself.

"I guess it had a special reason," Bill muttered back.

"What reason?"

"Remember what he claimed."

"Water, gold…"

"And the Faberge diamond necklet. I'm sure, that was the main focus, the others were just souvenir."

"How do you want to know?"

"Just a suggestion."

"Aha…"

They froze when a sound echoed through the house.

The bells of a floor clock.

Midnight.

The four gunslingers stood there like stone statues.

Nobody dared to breathe.

"Too late," Stump whispered.

"I don't think so," Bill muttered darkly. "I don't believe that they brought him to the place the delivery of ransom money. In this case we have some reprieve. If we have luck, they have to make a report first."

"Mm. I see we need a lot of luck."

"Shhhh!"

Bill had reached the end of the kitchen and reached out the hand to the door which guided to the inner house parts.

Slowly and carefully, he opened the door and peeked through it.

In the dim light of the moon, which was shining through the windows, he could see a big corridor with expensive carpets and other folderols.

A big stairway showed upwards. But nobody was near.

Before somebody could ask, what they should do next, a telephone was ringing.

Shortly after an electric light lightened the corridor, followed by quick footsteps on the stairs.

Quickly they pressed themselves on the wall out of the light. The lizard let the door open a little bit and dared to peek through the door crack.

A man came down the stairs, wearing dark gray pants and a white shirt with a gray jacket. Maybe he had awaited a call. Bill had never seen McNelly before. It was a light brown lynx, not too fat and not too slim, a with mustache over his lips. Without stopping, he picked up the receiver of the telephone which stood on a little table next to the stairway.

"Do you have it?" He asked without greeting. "Mm…"

It was an angry sound.

"Hell! Alright, come back."

He threw the receiver on the phone back and turned around in a rage filled gesture. For a moment Bill lost the view contact. Carefully, he moved and watched how McNelly tore open a door near the back of the stairs and disappeared.

After it had closed, they waited more than ten seconds, then Bill opened the kitchen door. He hesitated a few seconds more, then he gave them a sign to follow him.

On tiptoes, they walked to the door, where McNelly had gone through.

"Bill?" Stump said. "Could be a cellar door."

Bill nodded. Carefully, very carefully, he moved the door handle and opened the door where steps guided down.

"Alright. Let's go."


	15. Found

"Hey Bill."

Kinski pointed at the walls. There were the same walls as on the photography.

The Gila monster gave an understood nodding, then they continued their way downstairs.

Carefully and slowly, they walked down step by step, every time in fear that somebody could appear every moment.

Finally, they reached the end of the long stairway and stood at the beginning of a long corridor. It was dark, but Bill didn't dare to put on the light. He laid one hand on the cold concrete wall and followed it along the hallway, with the other hand, he held a gun. The others followed him close on his heels. The lizard's hand felt wood, the first door. He stopped and listened. But no sound and no light behind it. He moved on, until a loud cursing let them wince from the distance.

"Hell, why don't they understand – or what did I wrong? Could you explain that to me?"

Bill searched where the cry was coming from. Not far away, there was a door where light shined under the door.

Bill used the loud voice for a chance to open the door a little crack. Carefully, he looked inside. It was a big cellar room, wine bottles on shelves on the one side, tables and other things on the other side. Around a table sat two men on wooden chairs. One of them, a raccoon, had his feet on the table, the second one, an old coyote, sorted some play cards.

"How long do you want to wait?" the coyote asked.

Mr. McNelly growled who walked to and fro in the room. In his hand he held a burning cigarette.

"I don't understand," the lynx cursed. "You said he would be the favorite of the town and now, nobody gives a reply or a payment. Nothing! Not even a note. What kind of city is that?!"

The coyote shrugged his shoulders. "If I had the chance, I would have kidnapped the mayor, but he is dead, unfortunately."

"I know that for ages!" McNelly shouted.

"A shame that with Jeanny," the raccoon said. "He wasn't a bad guy."

"He was a stupid bastard," McNelly said. "I had given him a shot anyway. He was just a vagrant. There where he is now, he is in good hands."

"But how does it use us, without money," the coyote commented.

McNelly snorted. "Let's make a last try. But from now on, they need something tangible."

"Do we really have to do that?" The first man asked with worried voice. "I don't think my stomach will stand that."

"Get ahold of yourself," the coyote rebuked him. "You don't have to look at it."

McNelly threw away his cigarette into a corner.

"Alright then. Put him out."

With a deep sigh, the second man rose from his chair and went over to a second door. He unlocked it and went in. Shortly after, he came back with a bound person who he transported on his shoulder.

Bill realized the tied figure of the sheriff. The green lizard looked like they had seen him in the last photo. His hands were bound on his back, his feet tied together and a scarf gag placed over his mouth. The sheriff didn't struggle. Maybe he was afraid of being beat again. But he seemed to know this time it would be worse than that. He let loose some exhausted pleading moans and wailed when the man threw him ahead and put him with a dash on the table. Then he fixed the lizard and forced him to sit on the table surface. Then he took hold of the chameleon under his chin and lifted his face. The lizard looked tired and very exhausted and blinked heavily. He seemed to have trouble to straighten his back.

Suddenly the man hauled off his hand and gave the lizard a resounding slap.

Rango blinked wildly and ducked his head. Bill, who watched everything, would have enjoyed it if he had stood in front of him. But this time it made him angry.

McNelly stepped next to the feared chameleon and grabbed him from behind on his neck.

"Tcha, obviously you are all the same for your nice friends," the lynx sneered. "Well, it's time to take the gloves off, that they understand. Place him on the table."

The chameleon tried to kick them away with his bound legs, but his efforts were useless. It was an easy thing for them to press him on his stomach on the table. One man pushed down his legs while the other one held his upper body and shoulder down. The lizard could only use his tail and pelvic and tried to stand up in despair.

"Stay down!"

A hard slap by McNelly's hand on the chameleon's lumbar vertebra let Rango moan with pain.

Stump turned up his mouth. "Uh, that hurts like hell."

"Rebel more and you will lose your eye first, get it?!" Mr. McNelly screamed at the table laying lizard.

The chameleon lay still, but he didn't stop whimpering.

The rabbits' and mouse's eyes looked at Bill.

"What now?" Kinski hissed. "How far do you wanna go?"

Bill didn't look away and narrowed his eyes. How long should he wait?

Finally, he reached into his pocket, took out a scarf and wrapped it around the under region of his face.

"Cover your faces," the Gila monster hissed.

The others didn't contradict and put their scarves over their faces.

A loud sopping cry forced them to look back into the room. The lynx had grabbed the tied hand of the chameleon. With the tip of his knife he tapped one finger after another and counted silently.

"… and you are out."

With that, he bent more down and started sawing movements with the knife.

Stump was shortly before to cover his ears when a begging loud weeping for mercy filled the room. The chameleon struggled like crazy. It was a terrible try of escaping.

Suddenly Bill pushed open the door and came rushing into the room. He grabbed the lynx from behind and pulled him away from the struggling whimpering chameleon. McNelly was so surprised that he let fall the knife on the floor where little spots of blood covered the blade.

Quickly the Gila monster hit him with a hard and the lynx fell backwards against the door.

The other mammals who had held the chameleon threw their prisoner away and drew their guns. But before they could use them, Kinski jumped into the room and screamed: "Police! Hands up!"

But the bandits were no quitters. Quickly they knocked the table down without mercy. The bound chameleon rolled on the floor, while the raccoon and coyote used the table as a shield. Shots fell. Stump pulled Kinski on his ears and dragged him into the next save corner, near the wine bottles. Meanwhile, Bill had knocked out the ranch owner for a moment and took a new run-up. With loud scream he rammed the table which splintered into many pieces. The two men jumped aside, but Bill grabbed the raccoon and gave him a hard hit.

"Hey, a rumble," Kinski cried and put his guns away. "Yeah!"

Stump and Chorizo watched how their friend made a big jump and kicked the fleeing coyote with his big feet. Shortly after the rest lay their guns aside and dealt out blows. It didn't take a long time and all three of the gangsters lay on the floor.

"Good job, buddy," Chorizo congratulated and rubbed his own back.

Bit by bit a silence followed until the outlaws were sure their enemies will not wake up for the next few minutes and collected themselves in the middle of the room.

"Wow," Kinski said. "That was a nice scrimmage. We should repeat that."

"And what was that with "Police" and "Hands up"?" Stump asked with played skepticism.

Kinski shrugged his shoulders with an amused smile. "I had no other idea what to say."

Stump rolled his eyes.

"What now Bill?" Chorizo asked.

Bill looked at the knocked-out gangsters. Then his glance wandered into the little room where they had the chameleon had taken out. "We secure them in the room."

Together they pulled the three mammals away and blocked the chamber. After that they made free their faces with a clear conscience and put their masks down.

Chorizo looked around. "Uh, where is our little friend?"

They didn't need to search long. The chameleon lay huddled in a corner, his legs close pressed on his body. Bill tugged him up. The chameleon was weak. Maybe the gangster didn't give him food or water while his captivity. Roughly but also carefully Bill sat the chameleon on another table, but he had to hold his upper body so that he didn't fall forwards. Under his tail there were bruises. Maybe they had whipped the under region very badly. For a brief moment he thought whether the chameleon would be impotent. Rango's eyes were closed, but he moaned quietly. Bill lifted the chameleon up again and hold his chin. But Rango didn't seem to realize his rival at the moment and gave moaning sounds from time to time like he would have headaches.

"HEY!" Bill shook the weak chameleon violently. "Hey, I didn't go through the whole damn day for nothing just to see you how you peg out!"

Angrily, he gave the chameleon several slaps on the cheeks.

"Uh, Bill," Stump raised his hand. "I think he doesn't have the ability to say something."

Bill had the insight that it had no use to give Rango a clear head.

"Alright," Bill muttered darkly and took his knife.

The cold blade on the skin of his arms let the chameleon wince. But Bill showed no interest to his fear and cut through the ropes around his arms and wrists. The ropes were very tight bound around his arms and hands. Rango whined when he loosened the shackles. Rango let fall his arms ahead with a gentle sigh of relief. Then the Gila monster made the same with the legs, but he still had to hold the green lizard to avoid that he fell down.

Kinski, Stump and Chorizo watched their leader's work.

"Oh my," Stump muttered. "They had badgered him very badly."

Finally, Bill removed the gag and cut it. Rango whimpered with sobbing moan and spat out another cloth which the bandits had stuffed inside his mouth. Then he lost every force and leaned against Bill's chest.

Kinski smirked with a wide grin on his mouth.

"And when is your wedding day?" He asked jokingly.

"Babbling idiot," Bill growled and pushed the chameleon away in disgust.

"How do you want to wake him up?" Stump asked curiously. "He looks like he had lost his brain."

Bill snorted and took the limp chameleon from the table.

"I know a classical waking-up method."

With that he carried the limb lizards on his arms, the belly and face downwards.

* * *

"Here we are."

The others looked into a nice-looking bathroom.

"Aha, this is your classical wake-up method?" Stump nodded with played respect.

Bill gave no comment. He walked in and didn't pay attention for the expensive facility like porcelain washbowl and a porcelain bathtub with hot-cold water and a shower head over it. Bill lay the chameleon in the bathtub and reached for the shower head. Stump, Kinski and Chorizo circled the bathtub and eyed the unclothed chameleon for a short moment. In the light they realized bruises over the lizard's body and arms, including some heavy ones in his face. The chameleon was still unconscious and seemed to sleep.

Bill lifted the shower head and pointed at the water faucet. "Turn it up."

Chorizo grinned and turned the wheel. "Let there be rain!"

The water pelted down into the bathtub over the chameleon. Shortly after the water had touched the green body, Rango winced heavily and tucked up legs and arms. Then he tried to cover his face with his hands. Bill got his fun and swung the water head up and down in all directions, that the chameleon became completely wet, until he opened his eyes. But he covered his face again when new water fell on his face. The others chuckled. Finally, Bill closed the water faucet and put the shower head aside and silence fell. Just the dropping water was heard, followed by a squeak when the four outlaws leaned their hands and elbows on the edge of the bathtub, watching the chameleon which was trembling a little. After a few more seconds, Rango put down his hands, still panting softly.

The four gunslingers grinned at him.

"Are you surprised?" Stump and Chorizo said at the same time.

Kinski put his head on his hand. "You look very banged up."

Bill was closer to Rango's face and grabbed a hand under the chameleon's armpit and pulled him up so that the chameleon came from a lying to a sitting position.

"Nice to see you still complete."

All the time Rango was still speechless. What ran through his head?

But when Bill uttered the word "complete" he lifted his hands quickly and eyed them with a rush.

His right forefinger was still bleeding, but it had still fixed on his hand.

Chorizo took his hand and looked at it. "Oh, a clean cut, but not bad. The bone is still okay."

The mouse felt how the hand trembled, and it let the Mexican smirk. "Very nervous for a sheriff, Sheriff."

He released his hand and Rango pressed them on his chest again. He was still in big confusion and seemed to come back in the real-world step by step. His eyes stuck on Bill, who stood next to him with crossed arms as if he was waiting for an answer.

Rango looked at the Gila monster with unsure eyes. Then he tensed his forehead and looked aside.

"Do as you like. Feel free," he said with a defeated and defiant voice. He waited for a slap in the face or stomach or something else, still thinking about the argument in the canyon many days ago. And now he sat there without clothes and weapons. It would be an easy thing for the Gila monster to humiliate or to kill him immediately.

Bill chuckled mockingly. He grabbed the chameleon's chin and forced him to look at his face.

"Not today, little human pet."

He petted against his left cheek.

"I will wait for a better moment."

Rango turned away his head in a scared way.

"What do you want for that?" Rango asked with fear in his voice.

Bill showed a disappointed gesture. "It wonders me that you ask such kind of question. Where is your "thank you", little pet?"

"Yeah," Chorizo agreed. "You have no idea where we had gone through to pull you out of that nest. Do you think we did it for enjoyment?"

"Indeed," Stump added. "Be happy for that, that we were in near when they caught you, before he shot you."

His glance waved over to Bill.

Rango's skin colored black and looked with shock. "You wanted to shoot me?"

"Idiot!" Bill growled, but then he grinned. "For your luck. If I hadn't been in the mood to perforate your skull, we wouldn't be here."

Gently he put a hand on the chameleon's neck, which sent scaring shiver over Rango's body. He felt so helpless in this situation with a temporary trigger-happy Gila monster in the room.

Stump felt a little pity for the chameleon and waved his hands. "Hey, guys. I think he needs a little rest. Including us. I'm hungry."

Kinski stroke over his belly. "Me too. Hey, I think it's time to raid the fridge."

"Oh, yes," Chorizo cried. "We still didn't eat something today."

The others rolled their eyes when they remembered about the cheesecake. But nobody wanted to disagree and they went to the exit of the bathroom.

But before they left, Kinski held Bill back. "And when do you want to shoot him?"

Bill turned around and looked at the chameleon, which ducked its head and pressed his legs on his body. The Gila monster watched him with narrowed eyes.

"Mmpf, there is no rush."

With that, he turned around and disappeared.

"Hey Sheriff."

Rango winced when Chorizo came back with something in his hands. "Here your clothes. We found them in the rubbish."

He threw his clothes next to him.

"Maybe you should wash them before you put them on again."

With a loud chuckle, he let the chameleon alone. But as Rango thought he could relax a little, he startled heavily when a clicking sound met his ears.

"Sheriff," Bill showed his revolver. "We are still not finished with each other."

Then he left the bathroom once for all.


	16. We are outlaws

When Bill was gone, the silence filled the bathroom. Rango was still sitting in the bathtub and felt cold. Then he pressed the forehead against his knees and sobbed. Hot tears fell on his upper legs and disappeared in the water drops. His fingers glued on his legs because of the water on his skin.

After a while he wiped over his eyes and over his nose. His head was much clearer now and realized the pain which covered his whole body. With solicitous face, he looked over his body and recognized several bruises and some cuts on his arms.

Finally, he lifted his head and saw a big towel next to the tub. His shaking hands took it and rubbed his body dry. Then he climbed out and went over to the mirror. His naked feet toddled over the cold marble tile work. In the mirror, he examined his face and stroked over his hurting face muscles. While that his eyes caught his have-an-accident finger. It didn't bleed anymore. At least it wasn't damaged badly.

Gently he petted over it and sighed with relief.

When he looked at the mirror in the background, he saw his dirty clothes on the floor. He turned and watched them. With fingertips, he picked up his pants. There were useless of wearing. He needed a spare outfit. He wrapped the clothes in a dry towel, took them under his arm and opened the bathroom door very carefully.

He was on the first floor. On the ground floor, he could hear loud amused voices of Bill's gang, which rummaged in the kitchen.

On tip toes, he walked along the corridor and opened the first door which was a bedroom, where he could find a closet with clothes.

He took out well-looking beige pants and a white shirt. But after he had put them on, he had to admit they were too big for his size. McNelly wasn't a slim person, but it was better than nothing. With a belt, he fastened the pants and, in the shirt, he made a knot around his waist.

Glad about his new obtained civvies, his brain started to work after he had lost of thinking and had lost his hope of escape while his captivation. A bad feeling rose inside his stomach when he remembered about Bill's menaces. The panic came back and the chameleon ran to the next window. Around the house walls twined creepers. It wouldn't be a problem for him to climb down.

He opened the window and after some hesitation, he swung himself out and he held fast onto the long plants. Step by step he climbed down. His feet almost touched the ground and he was shortly before to breathe out with relief. But suddenly a hard grasp grabbed his shoulder and held him tight.

Rango screamed with fear and turned around wildly. But the person didn't release him.

The Gila monster eyed him angrily with narrowed eyes. "That's what I thought."

Rango grasped his shoulder when Bill added his pressure, but he loosened it again shortly after.

Bill chuckled. "You are so embarrassing."

His hand left the chameleon's shoulder, but instead he grabbed the chameleon's collar and steered him to the house door.

"That's not the way it works," Bill muttered and dragged the chameleon behind.

The green lizard tried to break away, but Bill gave him no chance. After they had reached the door Bill grabbed the chameleon's arm in addition and tugged him inside.

* * *

"Hey, here, biscuits."

Stump held a cookie tin over his head. Kinski and Chorizo didn't ask and took a handful of these cookies.

"Hey!" Stump complained. "Leave something over for me!"

They stopped their discussion when they saw Bill coming back with Rango in his grasp.

All of the three stared at the chameleon. Chorizo who was chewing a biscuit snorted with laughter full mouth. "What the hell happened to you?"

The chameleon blushed with shame, looking down at his improvised clothes.

"Shrunk in the dryer," Kinski chuckled.

"Our little friend," Bill started. "Wanted to snap fresh air."

The others murmured with disappointment.

"You wanted to leave us so soon? The fun starts only just now."

Rango winced when Bill lifted him on his collar.

"Give him a chair. I think he needs some rest."

With a grin, Kinski kicked a chair over to the chameleon.

"Take a seat."

Brutally Bill sat the chameleon down on the chair. Rango had no way to stand up again, in the next second, Stump and Kinski placed themselves next to him and put their hands on his shoulders to hold him down.

"Did you enjoy your bath?" Stump asked.

Rango cleaned his throat.

"Well, you know…"

"Uh, uh," Kinski warned and placed his hand over the chameleon's mouth. "I don't think you should speak too much. Isn't that right?"

"True that," Stump admitted.

"Hey, guys," Chorizo said with a cake full mouth. "Don't you think we should hurry up? The rest of that club could come soon."

"The Yellow Stone is over one hour away," Bill said while he was looking out of the window. "We still have time."

He leaned himself against the windowsill. "In the meantime, we could take some compensation for our detective work."

The others applauded.

"You come with me."

With that Bill grabbed Chorizo and left the kitchen.

"You take good care that our object doesn't run away," he said to Stump and Kinski.

* * *

"Hey Bill."

Chorizo and Bill stood in the living room. The Gila monster turned at his college who lifted a little golden watch.

But the bandit leader waved his hand warningly. "No valuables, what they could retrace on the black market. Look for some money."

With disappointment, the mouse put the watch away and rummaged in a desk. Meanwhile, Bill let wander his glance. It hurt him to leave all these nice-looking objects of oil paintings, vases and nicer expensive tchotchke.

His eyes stuck on some photographs in picture frames. One of it caught his attention. He picked the picture up and eyed it. It was a picture of a group. A big lady and some other rich people. Bill eyed the picture closely and realized a detail.

"Interesting. Very interesting."

* * *

It was quiet in the kitchen. Very quiet.

Rango sat on the chair like a convict.

Stump and Kinski were still standing by his sides and chewed cookies. From time to time Rango had to wipe away the crumbs from his pants. Suddenly his stomach grumbled.

Both rabbits stared down at the hungry chameleon.

"Oh, sorry," Stump apologized. "Your stomach has to be empty."

He handed him a cookie. The chameleon nodded thankfully. In the next second, the cookie disappeared into his mouth.

With surprise the two rabbits watched the hungry chameleon. After he had swallowed the little morsel down, he found his courage back.

"How did you find me?" he asked.

Stump chuckled. "Well, that's a funny story…"

"You don't have to know all details!" Kinski said quickly.

"Alright, buddies." Bill appeared in the kitchen. "Pack your bags, we leave."

"Did you find anything?" Kinski asked Chorizo.

"Not immediately, but after a little search in a closed drawer…" The mouse held a little sack with gold in his hands.

Rango stood up. "That's larceny."

Bill growled. "Larceny in a house of a criminal rat?"

"That's not the point."

He stopped speaking immediately when Bill pressed a gun at his nose.

"Listen, I'm a very patient guy, but annoying people annoy my fingers. Either you keep quiet or I could lose my patience by mistake."

The chameleon kept his mouth closed and Bill understood that as an approval.

"Fine."

He reached into his pocket and hold out a scarf.

Then he grabbed the chameleon's arm and turned him around.

"And you will put this on for a while."

Rango didn't know why Bill wrapped the scarf around his eyes.

"Hey, what is that for?"

"Little precaution measure." With that, he fixed together the knot behind the chameleon's head. "We still have to sort out a matter."

He pushed him outside.

* * *

The chameleon had no knowledge where he was and where they rode. He sat like the other bandits on a roadrunner which they had "borrowed" from the ranch.

While they rode through the dark desert the lizard sniffed to find out where the way guided them. But there was no suspicious smell in the air. No civilization was near.

Suddenly he heard them whispering, but he couldn't understand what they said.

"Here, this place seems to be perfect."

They stopped.

Someone climbed down from the roadrunner and came closer to the chameleon.

Rango sat stiffly. He was going to ask a question, but suddenly strong hands grabbed him and took him from the roadrunner like a little child and push him. Rango fell to the ground where he felt sand and little stones under his hands.

"Stand up," the Gila monster voice commanded and hoicked the green lizard on his arm.

Then Bill turned his still blindfolded face ahead of him and gave him a new push.

"Walk on."

"W-why?"

"Move!"

With hesitation the chameleon obeyed.

Carefully, he made one step after another. His hands cramped. What was that Gila monster going to do? He heard how Bill followed him from a distance.

"Stop!"

A clicking sound let him wince.

"What are you doing?!"

Rango swirled around, but before he could touch the blindfold his hands were forced behind his back in a painful way.

"It was a mistake to make a joke with me in the canyon," Bill's ominous voice whispered in his ear.

The chameleon struggled when Bill pressed his hands higher on his back.

Suddenly the Gila monster released him and pushed him away.

"On your knees. And don't forget to raise your hands."

Bill's voice was calm but firm. One reason more for Rango to break down psychologically under his command.

"N-no, you don't wanna…"

Rango felt how tears ran in his eyes when the cold metal of the barrel was pressed on his head. Bill stood on the right side of the kneeling chameleon. His face impression stone cold.

"First being cheeky, then whimpering like a little girl? You are something what we don't need in our land."

Rango swallowed heavily. His arms started to tremble.

The Gila monster hissed maliciously.

"And with your insult you dirtied a spatter on my good reputation as a leader."

A grin crossed the big lizard's mouth.

"That's something what I can't accept."

The trembling chameleon lowered his face. "I'm sorry."

"WHAT WAS THAT?!"

Rango startled terribly and sank more down. Immediately the Gila monster whipped with the gun against his back.

"Hands up!"

The chameleon gasped for air in desperation, but Bill showed no mercy.

"Sorry doesn't cut it!" He rolled the magazine of the revolver. "This won't serve my turn. You deserve an appropriate punishment."

A cold, horrible shiver ran over Rango's body when Bill stepped behind him and pulled down the collar of his shirt with his gun so that his bare upper back skin became visible for the gunslinger.

Rango's trembling raised hands wandered more behind of trying to hide his back.

"No, please, don't do it."

Bill clicked his tongue. "Sorry, I'm through with you. If I let you alive, you will only make your jokes with me even more. So much for my no aptitude of combination. A shame that my insufficiency led us to you."

"I didn't mean it like that," Rango said quickly.

Bill snorted. "You're just talking because you are afraid."

"NO, I mean it!"

The Gila monster chuckled mockingly. "Did you hear that, guys? He means it."

He didn't wait for a reply of his friends and paid his attention back to the still kneeling chameleon.

"Today you say so, and next morning something different. Who on earth believes that? Put your hands behind your head."

Rango did. Bill snorted with satisfaction and released the safety catch of the revolver.

Suddenly the chameleon turned around and wrapped his arms around Bill's legs.

"No! I surrender! I surrender! I stand corrected! You proved you have a big aptitude of combination! But please, don't kill me!"

Bill grunted. "For a sheriff, you can beg very nicely."

While Rango was whimpering on his legs, Bill gave the others a sign. Rango didn't hear the near coming footsteps until they grabbed his arms and pulled him away from the Gila monster. Then they lifted him up and forced him to stand on his knees again.

Someone grabbed his blindfold from behind and he had to look ahead. His tries of struggling were useless. In the next second, he could feel the cold metal on his forehead.

Rango's heart was thumping like mad. He realized nothing, just Bill's voice.

"Give my regards to your girlfriend."

He pulled the trigger. Rango's breath stopped.

An empty click was all what his mind filled. His vision behind the blindfold went black.

He collapsed, but hands still held him up.

"Hey, you aren't dead," Stump's voice echoed through his head.

Suddenly someone pulled away his blindfold. Then the hands released him and let him fall to the ground. Rango was still paralyzed, but his senses started to come alive again.

Around him, he could see dark desert, over him a sky of stars.

Someone kicked him gently against his legs.

"Do you wanna make a nap, or what? If I were you, I would walk to my girlfriend's house immediately where you can cry your eyes out."

Rango was starting to move his body parts again. Carefully, he sat up. Now he recognized the area. It was the land of Beans.

A hand hit his head from behind.

"Your little girlfriend was searching for you," Stump said.

"I think you should go to her before she hits us for nothing," Kinski added. "Her house is right behind the hill."

While Rango rubbed his head, the gunslingers left him alone with a little quiet chuckle until their footsteps faded away. The lonely sound of the desert surrounded him. All of a sudden, everything seemed to be unreal. Like nothing had happened.

He kept sitting on the sandy floor until he stood up with very weak knees. He ventured a step. It wasn't easy for him to make a movement. He felt like his body was just filled with jam.

He bit his teeth together and made one step after another. More and more, until he reached the top of the little hill. He looked down. Beans's ranch was not far away. After a while of hesitation, he ran downhill. But when his feet touched the wooden terrace, his movements became slow again. The chameleon took a deep breath and knocked against the door.

* * *

Stump craned his neck when lights turned on behind the windows. Shortly after the door was opened. A shadow stood in the door frame. They heard a relieved voice of a familiar woman.

"Rango!"

She flung her arms around his neck.

"Where have you been?"

First, there was silence.

"What happened to you?"

Finally, the answer came. "A work accident."

The four gunslingers, who all watched from the distance, smirked.

"Nice accident," Chorizo mocked.

Bill snorted. "Let's disappear."

With that Bill turned his roadrunner around and made his way to the town.

The others followed his example and together they rode through the desert.

After a while Kinski cleaned his throat. "Don't you think our joke was a little too much?"

Bill turned to them with a serious face. "Hey, we are outlaws. It's almost our obligation to teach him a lesson like that."

"Yes, I forgot." There was more sarcasm in his voice than regret.

"But why didn't we bring him to the town?" Stump asked. "Because of her?"

Bill lifted his nose. "No, that wasn't the reason."

"Why then?"

"I just wanna have a last sheriff free zone in town before he comes back."

Kinski grinned. "Aha."

"But it wasn't so bad to be an outlaw-detective for one day, wasn't it?" Stump asked.

Bill thought a moment. "Not really."

"Not really bad or not really good?"

"Maybe both."


	17. Case closed completely

_**1 day later…** _

Melonee was getting ready for the evening time in the saloon. She sat in her room of the hotel in front of the mirror and powdered her face. She hummed a melody, but suddenly she stopped. A movement behind the folding-screen let she froze.

The shadows seemed to see, he had awakened her attention at him and left his hiding place.

She looked behind. Silently their eyes met. She forced a smile.

"You are a bad boy."

Unsurely she stroked a hair out of her face while the Gila-monster made a few steps closer at her direction.

"I missed you last night. Where have you been?"

Bill crossed his arms. "Reason enough to come back."

"But not because of me, right?"

"Yes, because of you."

Her smile disappeared. Not because of his words. His face impression said he didn't want a flirt.

She turned back, took a lipstick and stroked with it over her lips.

Meanwhile, Bill came closer until he stood very close behind her.

"Alister McNelly."

She froze.

"Does that name mean anything to you?"

She closed the lipstick and put it away. "Why do you ask?"

His cold hands on her shoulders, let her froze again like an ice sculpture. The lizard nails stroked gently her skin.

"In his house," Bill continued with slow dark voice. "I saw a picture. And on this picture stood an old lady. With the Faberge collier around her neck. Including a brooch on her dress. And I know only one person who has that brooch in her jewelry box."

He constricted his grab around her shoulders.

"And I counted one and one together."

He interrupted his stroking. Seconds of silence fell.

"Where is it?"

"What is where…"

The saloon lady cried hoarsely when Bill dragged her up and squeezed her against the wall.

"I know you hide it," Bill growled. His eyes scanned her body. "And I could imagine where."

Melonee kneeled her fingers nervously.

"I don't…"

A warning squeeze on her arm interrupted her.

"I was a gentleman for you, every time, every day, to you. But I could lose my genelemenness if you don't be a nice girl and do what I say. How long do, we know each other? I think long enough to know me well enough."

He reached with his hand on the backside of his pants. Melonee knew, he was touching for his knife.

"Show it to me."

With a deep sigh, she let disappear her fingers under her underwear and pulled something out. It came out the glittering jewels of the Faberge necklet.

For a moment, Bill became speechless at the sight. The diamonds blinked flashed in the room light. He touched one of them and rubbed it between his fingers. The cold fire seemed to burn. He didn't want to image how much money he could earn with that.

"The lady was my aunt," Melonee said. "You're right. She gave it to me and I promised her to take good care of it."

Bill said nothing. He just stared at the shining stones, as if they had paralyzed his mind.

The lady said nothing. She waited until Bill lifted his head and looked at her again.

"I advise you," he started to whisper inquisitively. "To search for another hiding place."

He released the diamond. "Before I get appetite to steal it."

With these words, he loosened his grab around her arm. Then he walked to the door and left her.

After the door had closed, Melonee took the diamonds closer.

"Thank you."

* * *

"EH? You let the necklet to her?"

Chorizo couldn't believe what Bill had told them.

They sat in a corner of the saloon around a little table and had waited for Bill's return, after he had said, he wanted to do something.

"What's your problem?" Bill muttered back and poured his glass.

"But why?" Stump asked more.

"That's my concern! Alright?" Bill growled.

"You have secrets?" Kinski chaffed him. "Lovely."

"That's not what you think," Bill grunted between his teeth.

"And what instead?"

"Enough already!"

They silenced. Just Chorizo sighed with disappointment. "Adiós riqueza."

Bill rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on, shut up."

"Hey! Look." Kinski ducked a little and pointed with his head ahead. "Recovered green object in 12 o`clock position."

The eyes of the others wandered back to the saloon door where the familiar figure of the sheriff came through the swing doors. He wore his town clothes again and seemed to have hurdled the bad events of the last night. His steps were lazy, but the gunslingers realized a little unsureness in his movements.

The chameleon didn't see his four "lifesavers" yet and walked over to the counter, where Buford poured him a glass of cactus juice.

The gunslingers exchanged glances. Then Bill stood up and went over to him.

A cold shiver went over the chameleons back when Bill's cold reptile hands touched his neck.

Slowly he turned around. Bill chuckled when he was seeing the fear again in the chameleon's eyes. Gently he rubbed his reptile nails on the green lizard's skin.

"We still have to chew the fat with you."

With that the Gila monster pulled Rango to their table, where Bill pushed him on a chair.

"Ouch!"

With pained face, the chameleon rubbed his back.

"Still the bottom?" Stump asked and chuckled.

Rango narrowed his eyes and wanted to stand up, but in the next second, the two rabbits placed their hands on his shoulder, Kinski on the left, Stump to the right.

"Put your hands there where I can see them," Bill commanded and put Rango's hands on the table surface.

Rango took a deep breath, before he got the courage to ask a question.

"What do you want?"

"Your clothes," Chorizo answered and threw a bounded cloth bunch on the table. "You forgot them."

Carefully Rango took them. "Thanks."

"Well, well!" Bill said and sat down on a chair next to Rango. "After our little tour, because of you, I seemed to remember, in your trade, it is the custom to give someone a little reward."

Rango sighed and sent a look to the wooden sky. "What do you want?"

Bill smiled. "Oh, not much, at the moment. We only want to have the ability to go and leave the town whenever we want."

"And more?"

The Gila monster grinned. "Free wish. I will think about it."

With that, he stood up and waved to the exit. Kinski and Stump released the befuddled chameleon and left the saloon to the dark street.

"Hey, Bill," Stump asked after they crossed the street.

The big lizard had crossed his hands on the back of his head and stared at the stars. "What is it?"

"Well, after that green grass gave us the confession that we have an ability of combination…"

"What's your point?"

Stump scratched behind his ear. "Do you think we should… Well, our investigation work wasn't bad, was it?"

"No, not at all."

"Don't you think we could… repeat?"

"No!" Bill cut.

"Never again." Kinski added loudly. "I will never go undercover again."

Chorizo chuckled and got a light slap.

"Alright," Chorizo apologized and gave Stump a wave. "Forget it, dude."

"Yes, we are outlaws," Bill finished the discussion. "Such kind of work is for us a no-go."

Stump stopped and rubbed his head. "Maybe… who knows."


	18. Epilog in Primrose Town

He peeked around a corner.

Nobody saw him.

Nobody looked in his direction.

Clark put his hands in his pocket pants and strolled over the sidewalk. He lifted his head and looked at the sky. The lizard didn't interrupt his walk when he passed a newsstand.

Nobody realized the quick movement of his hands.

Then he disappeared around the next corner in a lonely alley.

He looked around. He was alone.

Carefully, he took out the newspaper under his jacket. Satisfied about himself, he flicked through the pages.

Suddenly a little announce awoke his attention.

He looked closely at it.

" _Desperado's detective agency. - If you need help, send us a message to the Dry Creek porter's loge."_

Clark smirked.

"People and their ideas."

With a laugh, he folded the paper together.

**\- The End -**


End file.
